500+ Words Essay on Peer Pressure
It’s Better To Walk Alone Than With A Crowd Going In The Wrong Direction. – Diane Grant
Human beings are social animals. We all make a lot of relations in our life. In choosing some relationships, we do not have a choice, but for some others, we do. Making friends and hanging out with them at school and other places is fun but we need to choose our friends wisely.
Suppose your friend calls you to the basement stairs of the school and asks you to share a cigarette with him. You deny it. But then he says that if you do not smoke, he will spread your secrets in the whole class. This is known as peer pressure.
It is getting someone to do something that they might not like to do or might not be comfortable doing. Peer pressure is not always bad. Sometimes, it even makes you want to put in more effort and reach your potential. Positive peer pressure is beneficial and healthy, but it is the negative side of it, that can prove to be harmful.
School children and teenagers are more prone to peer pressure. This is the age where they indulge themselves in alcohol, smoking, drugs, ragging, beating up others, stealing and what not! Hence, it becomes necessary first to identify when we are trying to be peer pressured. We should know how to recognise when someone is trying to make us a victim of this.
Whenever you feel like this, remember to ask yourself some questions. Is this right what they are asking me to do? Does it feel wrong to me? Am I uncomfortable while doing this? Would I still do this if my parents or some adult were around? There are many ways in which your friends can pressurise you. They may blackmail, threaten or even bribe you. But you should know what is right for you and that saying “NO” has so much power.
Negative Effects of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure can harm us. It results in grades at school getting lowered, a disrespect towards our parents, teachers and other adults, resorting to violent or aggressive acts and bunking or skipping classes. It may even lead to us getting addicted to various harmful substances and becoming insensitive towards others and their feelings.
Imagine that you are playing with your friends in the park and your parents have told you to be back home by 7:00 p.m. But as soon as you say to your friends that you are leaving, one of them forces you to come to his house to play video games. He says that if you do not agree to go, then you and he are no longer friends.
What do you do in such a situation? Do you give in and go to his house and disobey your parents? Or do you make him understand that you must be home today and maybe tomorrow you can come to his house after taking permission from your mom and dad?
There are numerous ways to resist peer pressure, and we should not hesitate to take them. We can simply walk away and even warn others about the consequences of what they are doing. We can say no firmly and also call for an adult in situations we feel that require their help. We should always stand by our principles and what we believe in.
We should never compromise on them. We should be assertive and not easily give in to the demands of those pressurising us. Even if it means finding new friends, we should comply and also be our own best friend.
Positive Effects of Peer Pressure
On the opposite side, we have good or positive peer pressure which is beneficial for us. If your friends do social work or volunteering, it is apparent that you too would want to indulge in such an activity. Say suppose at the time of after school activities, your friends already in a school sports team encourage you to join in. This is positive peer pressure because on the field; you get to collaborate and work together as a team.
Thus, spending your time productively. If you have friends who encourage you to study more when your marks dip, then you indeed have found good friends who look out for you. Ask your friends to participate in marathons, cleanliness drives, social campaigns etc. Positive peer pressure leads to socialising with others as well as learning new experiences.
We also abide by laws and do not land ourselves in trouble. It may lead to us learning a lot more unique and helpful skills which may come handy not only in school but in our workplace and our general life as well. Always have the courage to say no when you are being pushed to do destructive activities.
Conclusion
Peer pressure is a serious issue and is addressed in schools all around the world. Giving in to negative peer pressure comes at a high price which can even lead to a sorry life. We should always listen to our instincts and our conscience. Never underestimate the power of saying a NO.
Socialise with people who encourage you to better and improve yourself. Lead a life with aspirations and morals. Always think about the consequences that might follow before doing something that you are in doubt of. In the end, it is about staying true to yourself and looking out for the ones you care about.
Leave a Reply