Persuasive NESA Practice Peer Pressure

Erin Lee
1/23/2015
Period 6
Practice
Being a teenager can be extremely difficult in today’s world because of all of the pressures teens face, the stress they go through on a daily basis, and the constant want and need to fit in and be liked by their peers. But aside from all of those issues, one of the biggest challenges that teens face every day is peer pressure. Teens are often influenced to do things by their peers because it’s a person’s tendency to go along with the crowd. Although there is both positive and negative peer pressure, teens are more likely to give into the negative peer pressure such as drinking alcohol, doing drugs, or having sex when they are not ready because there is a thrill that comes along with breaking the rules. Peer pressure is the biggest challenge that teens face because of how it can completely change their lives, either for the better or for the worst. Whether teenagers realize it or not, they are pressured by their peers into doing something every day, whether it be positive or negative. When people typically think of peer pressure, they think of giving in to doing drugs or alcohol, or having sex. But, peer pressure isn’t always negative such as someone trying to convince their friend to go out for basketball with them because it will be fun or trying to convince a friend to join Art Club.
Teenagers every day give into peer pressure due to the lack of guidance or communication they have from parents and teachers. Sure, every kid was told in elementary school to “Say No to Drugs” and “Don’t Do Alcohol” but the only situation where those kids were pressured to give into something was to trade crayons or a sandwich at the lunch table. However, as kids get older, become teenagers, and enter high school, they are more at risk to be pressured into doing something dangerous. They may remember that they were taught to say no to drugs but that may not hit home enough for them to not do them because it may have not been emphasized how harmful it can be to not only their health, but to their future also. Lastly, teens give into peer pressure every day because they want to fit in, feel accepted by someone, and make friends. Few teens have the courage to resist the pressure and would rather be one amongst the group than stand out and be themselves. The teens who are being pressured will most likely be told that they won’t be “cool” if they don’t smoke a joint or they won’t have any friends if they don’t take a drink. Because kids want to be cool and popular, they are sometimes willing to go to the extremes just to be liked among their peers. That shouldn’t even be happening and kids shouldn’t have to have that pressure put on their shoulders or have to feel like that is the only way to make friends. Kids shouldn’t have to give into doing drugs, or drinking alcohol, or having sex just to make “friends” because some day, a few years down the road, the next thing they may know is that they are looking down at the orange glow coming from the tip of a cigarette 50 times a day, waking up so drunk and hung-over almost every morning that they don’t remember one thing from the night before, or having a child when they are still just kids themselves. Teenagers are influenced every day by their peers to buy that new pair of jeans their classmate was wearing, to eat the same thing for lunch that their friend got, or even to use drugs or drink alcohol. Teens are at a critical point in their lives where they need guidance from adults who they can look to for support and who they trust, otherwise they could end up down the wrong path. Peer pressure is the biggest challenge that teens face and it needs to be addressed to kids so they are educated on what to do in a situation where they are pressured to do something they don’t want to do. Making one bad choice could ruin a kid’s life, even if it all started back in the school parking lot with one drag of a cigarette or one drink of alcohol.