How Kids and Teenagers Can Defeat Peer Pressure

Are you a kid or teen who will do anything at school just to gain points with the “in-crowd”? Would you like to stay out of trouble and maintain your integrity and dignity while not giving in to the whims of peer pressure? Do you want to make choices at school that you can look back on with no regrets? I will teach you how to deal with school pressure.

Do not start or engage in fights. If another student annoys you, try to solve the matter peacefully. Do not accept challenges to hit another student or get into a fight with another student.

I rarely got into a fight and I usually minded my own business; however, there was a time when I did not resist temptation to provoke a fight. One time while walking out of the school doors, a student told me to hit another student and I obliged. The fellow student I punched challenged me to settle the matter with him off the school grounds. I accepted the challenge and paid the price. I lost the fight and suffered a sore lip and chin.

Do not watch or become a spectator at fights just because plenty of other students do it and scream, “Ooh! Ah! He walloped you.” I am proud to say I have never stayed around to watch a fight. This is something you too must commit to doing because people sometimes get seriously hurt in fights and you will demean yourself even though you think you are reaping pleasure; furthermore, the bigger the audience, the more likely students are to fight just to make an impression or gain a sense of respect.

Be loyal to your friends. Do not stop being friends with someone or stop hanging around her because other students think she is weird. This could hurt your friend’s feelings and self esteem for a long time, especially if she has no other friends; besides, you will not truly be happy about this and you will probably reflect on this later in life and say, “I turned into a jerk just to gain acceptance with the popular students.”

Do not ignore students who are lonely or shunned by other students. Make a difference and perhaps show other students how wrong they are by befriending an outcast. Who knows? You might need his help some day.

Do not begin smoking because other students do it or dare you to do so. It is illegal for minors to smoke. If you start smoking, you will incur a bad addiction; damage your heart, lungs, gums, skin and eyes; smell bad and possibly die prematurely with a painful cancer.

Do not join gangs. Engaging in violent or illegal gang activity can get you locked up or killed; furthermore, incarcerated gang members who act tough are beaten up or stabbed by other inmates.

Do not let your pants sag below the top of your underwear even if it is a school fad because it is nasty, you could get suspended and you will lose respect and your sense of dignity.

Do not act up just because another student does it. As a senior, I was written up and given detention twice because I said out loud that the teacher was dumb after a classmate did it. I realize I was the idiot.

Do not mimic other students’ bad habits. I flunked the fifth grade partly because my friend was getting poor grades and not putting forth much effort.

Incorporate these guidelines to deal with school pressure and have school years you can remember with joy and honor!