Peer Presure

Anusha Paul

English 1

Dr. Wiltse

June, 6th 2016

Peer Pressure

        Peer pressure is a very powerful thing that tends to largely affect people in their younger ages (8-18).  Becoming a part of a social group is something kids do as soon as they hit somewhere around their middle school ages. Social groups can influence the younger individuals by allowing them to explore new interests throughout the group. Peer Pressure can be both good and bad depending on what the certain individual is being pressured to do. For some individuals moving into a lifestyle of substance and alcohol might be a way to conform to a certain group that they would like to be a part of.  The primary issue that surrounds peer pressure is that people are influenced to do certain things because they have been encouraged to by their peers.

        Middle school is one’s first tiny step into the real world. In a new environment as such, individuals tend to want to move into groups that include people with their mutual interests. In a group as such it’s very easy to fall into others interests. For example, if one of their friends love to listen to Justin Bieber, that will make others in the group to start listening to him more because that one person likes to listen to him. They can encourage or manipulate each other into liking their own interests.  

        Unlike the last example, there are ugly sides to peer pressure. Usually starting during high school, people make new friends and they maybe substance users. Most people that are substance users usually were pressured by their friends to start at a young age. Kids may not even realize they were being pressured into the situation, they might just think it’s a one-time thing and they just wanted to try it out. Even in schools, kids bring drugs and ask other kids if they want to buy any. If someone sees their friend buying some, they would want to buy it too. And especially if they know they person that is selling, they will for sure buy it.

        As the elections are coming up this year, many kids didn’t even know who they wanted to vote for in the beginning. As time goes on, they tend to listen to the opinions around them, and even in their homes to make up their own mind on who they want to vote for. Outside influence greatly impacts any teenager. Listening to their parents, talking to friends, or even going on social media can help an individual make decisions that just a few months ago; they didn’t even have an answer to. Being in certain friends groups for a long time can change a person’s way of thinking so they can be more like the people in the rest of the group.