In today’s connected world, peer pressure’s silent influence dictates our decisions, from style to substances. But what’s the cost of conformity? It’s like this invisible thread that connects us to our friends, our families, and the world around us. It’s what makes us do stuff we might not want to, and sometimes its a bi part of growing up. These choices made in your adolescence can affect the rest of your life.
An anonymous student at Rocklin High School talks about their experience with peer pressure, stating, “i got peer pressured into smoking weed.” The student explained the mental health effects that smoking had on them. “My mental health is absolutely [wrecked] now.” An article medically reviewed by Neha Pathak MD states, “using marijuana may raise your chances for clinical depression or worsen the symptoms of any mental health disorders you already have.” Furthermore, even after quitting this drug it is claimed by the student interviewed that they, “have not recovered fully from it messed up my life in a lot of ways.” The natural consequences of and the very real-life effects that doing drugs has on teens as this student shares and example of a consequence that they have experienced, “If you smoke a lot of weed then you’re gonna get a natural consequence of not having an as good memory, you’re not going to be able to work as well.” Sophomore Brenna Radmand explains a more broad perspective on peer pressure.
Peer pressure can make it tough for young people to make their own choices. Brenna who has seen people be peer pressured and has been peer pressured herself, as she puts it a big part of peer pressure is “Not [wanting to] be left out.” “Following your gut instinct.” Is key to avoiding these decisions, if something feels off then avoid it. Radmand also points out, “People are pressured into doing things that they don’t want to do. In your youth is when you figure out who you are.” In this modern world, everyone is just trying to fit in and find who they are. These fundamental years of adolescence are pivotal for who we become as people in the future, the teenage cliche for peer pressure is something that happens to much, if not being peer pressured, peer pressuring other people, it is a cycle. In high school it is a dog-eat-dog world and everyone is just trying to survive and move onto adulthood.
