Peer Pressure

"Come on everybody's doing it!" Is the most common universal phrase that is used in our modern society today. The dreaded duo of "P's", peer pressure, is influenced by your peers on how you act, and to get you to do something which is extremely common. Peer pressure largely affects you when you want to become "cool" and can contribute to an assortment of good or bad peer pressures. However, "cool" heavily leans towards the uglyÐ'--in this demanding world, and "peer pressure can, at times, be so overwhelming that just about anybody may succumb to it."(Karlsberg 52-53)

Peer pressure can be associated with each individual person. From an elementary kid jumping off a 10ft swing, to a teen smoking pot, and an adult meeting an important work deadline; making your body and thoughts directly on the spot. This can run before or after gaining popularity to becoming a complete total loser. Peer pressure can affect and change your life for the good or badÐ'--it's your choice. Specific demands can cause you to commit an action that you may regret. So what is peer pressure to you? Have you ever hit that spotlight of anxiety?

Peer pressure highly exists when you're a teen in high school and as you grow older, you'll be faced with many challenging decisions. Although, some decisions don't have to be right or wrong like choosing a sportÐ'--volleyball or track, many other decisions involve serious moral questions; "The challenges to teenagers come from many directions: a challenge to shoplift a pack of gum, a dare to try a cigarette, pressure to have sex." (Meredith Corporation) However, "the pressure includes words of encouragement, criticism, or persuasion. Or, it can be unspoken, as when group members sport similar clothes or hairstyles. Either way, peer pressure can have a profound impact on your physical and emotional health." (Kowalski 6)

Peer pressure molds you to become a different person, a person you thought you knewÐ'--an artificial human beingÐ'--a robot. As a person you intend to believe that in order to "fit in" any social group you first have to make a reputation. In creating a reputation you choose to create a drastic one of your own to make yourself noticed. You can build or ruin your reputation if you've already established one, but you've only become a fake and follow others trendsÐ'--a wannabe. Peer pressure can divide you into various social groups: jocks and geeks and preps and freaks; with high expectations from your peers they basically draw you a map of where your life and actions are headedÐ'--high risk behaviors.

Peer pressure is an extremely powerful, up-roaring, dominant slice of reality that leads