feature article on peer pressure

As you grow older, you will be faced with some challenging decisions. Some don't have a clear right or wrong answer-like whether you should go out with your friends? Other decisions involve serious moral questions, for example whether to play truant ,try cigarettes or lie to your parents.Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when your friends gets involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. When they try to influence how you act, get you to do something, it's called peer pressure. It's something everyone has to deal with- even adults.
Peers influence your life, even if you don't realise it, just by spending time with you. You learn from them and they learn from you.It's human nature to listen to and learn from others. Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system, or someone in the soccer team taught you a cool trick with the ball. You might admire a friend who is always good in sports and try to be more like him or her. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone's reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other every day.Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to play truant with them, your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or your friends might get you to shoplift with him.Some give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to have lots of friends, or because they worry that others may make fun of them if they don't go along with a group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" may influence some to leave their better judgment, or their common sense behind.
It is tough to be the only one who says "no" to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better. It can really help to have at least one other peer, who is willing to say "no" too. This takes a lot of the power out of peer pressure and makes it much easier to resist. It's great to have friends with values similar to yours who will back you up when you don't want to do something. You've probably had a parent or teacher advise you to "choose your friends wisely." Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don't use drugs,play truant, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won't do these things either. Try to help a friend who's having trouble resisting peer pressure. It can be powerful for one to join another by saying, "I'm with you - let's go."
Even if you're faced with peer pressure while you're alone, there are still things you can do. You can simply stay away from peers who pressure you to do stuff you know is wrong.You can also find other friends to pal around with. If you continue to face peer pressure and you're finding it difficult to handle,talk to someone you trust. Don't feel guilty if you've made any mistake. Talking to a parent, teacher, or school counselor can help you feel much better and prepare you for the next time you face peer pressure.