Peer pressure.

We have all been through it in our lives whether it was with a group of friends or even family members, but we have all dealt with it and kept moving on with our lives. Sometimes the decision of saying “no” to a friend can be scary.

Peer pressure is when someone you know tries to push you into doing something that you are not comfortable with. It can be a dangerous and tricky thing to deal with sometimes, but one should always say no to bad peer pressure.

What I mean by “bad” peer pressure is when someone is trying to get you to steal or do terrible things.

Adults can also experience peer pressure. I interviewed a teacher and a student about what they have experienced dealing with the subject. South High dance instructor Danielle Laurion said she thinks peer pressure is when an individual is being pushed into doing something that they don’t want to do.

Laurion said she believes peer pressure tends to be more of an aggressive type of persuasion, and for certain groups of people there are several types of ways one can experience peer pressure. She explained how in the dance world, there are many ways that dancers are exposed to peer pressure and made to feel like they must fit in to be a good dancer.

Dealing with peer pressure is difficult, but one suggestion is to have someone available for support if you need to talk things through.

South High junior Arturo Hernandez said that to him, peer pressure is “when someone is encouraging you to do something you don’t want to do.” Hernandez added a way to not give into peer pressure is by “trusting your gut.”

For people who don’t necessarily stand up for themselves in peer pressure situations, Hernandez said that “just being able to think about the situation and knowing what’s right and wrong” may help one deal with the situation a little better than just going along with it.

Peer pressure is hard to deal with, especially if you’re not an extroverted person, but there are ways to deal with it even if the whole situation seems too difficult.