Peer pressure

By:Nevaeh Mackerley

Welcome to 2025 peer pressure is everywhere. Let's dive deep into this. It's a Tuesday morning and your friend walks up to you saying “we have a test 1st period let's skip and go to the trails.” All your friends are around telling you to do it and pushing you to do it. Deep down you don't want to but you have to say yes because your friends won't like you. We call this PEER PRESSURE. What is peer pressure you may ask? Peer pressure is you choose to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do, because you want to feel accepted and valued by your friends. It isn’t just or always about doing something against your will.

How can I not put the pressure on? You can do this many ways 1. Confidence tells yourself I say NO and then say NO! 2. Finding new friends may be hard but it will benefit you. 3. Excuse: find an excuse to lie your way out of it but don't lie all the time. 4.Suggest something else, find a different way to do it. 5. Avoid the situation or question. 6. Stand up to those who are getting peer pressured. 

Let's go back to the scenario. You can say No , I dont wanna get in trouble. Thats one option or you can go guys not cool im finding new friends and walk away. Here it is for the third option  Sorry guys I can't. I have to meet with Ms Smith before class. You could always also say hey guys why dont we study for a bit. 5. So guys guess what happened on my way to the bus. These are some ways you can stop this or if you see someone else getting pressured STAND UP!

I was peer pressured and you probably have been as well. Don’t take the pressure, be you because you are you and no one is like you. I leave you with this don't make yourself say yes be you and be strong. 

All the information can be found at https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/friends-relationships-sex/friends/peer-pressure/