Choosing The Right Friends & Being Confident In Saying No
Peer pressure comes from the friend group you’re a part of. Sometimes, people aren’t willing to lose friends over trivial things like this, but it’s important to know when to let go of your old friend group and branch and make new ones. Doing this won’t automatically get rid of peer pressure, but this will allow for those who will come in to pressure you to do the right things such as conquering a fear that you might be scared to conquer. This type of peer pressure could better you as a person. Know that it’s okay to be alone until you find the right group.
This gives you time to consider what is important to you and what might benefit your life. Go out alone and explore things by yourself for once. Maybe you’ll discover things about yourself that you didn’t know only because you were too scared that you wouldn’t fit in. If you already have a group, it’s okay to say no to things you know you’re uncomfortable doing. Don’t be afraid to be more confident.
Preparation & Communication
Think before you speak or don’t speak at all. The hardest time to react to peer pressure is right then. It’s a great idea to prepare your response in advance if someone asks you to do something with which you are not familiar. Something that you may need to do is prepare a proper explanation. Knowing that your friends or family are doing things that you aren’t interested in or that go against who you are can be conflicting, but there are ways to explain them properly without leaving anything out. This will allow your friend group to know what you are into and that what they’re doing is something you disagree with.
Setting Boundaries
Though some may ask for an explanation, you shouldn’t explain in some situations. You don’t owe any explanation to anyone who doesn’t see that you are uncomfortable. In certain situations, it’s better for you just to walk away from it. Finally, know that sometimes lying and making excuses for yourself is okay. This isn’t disrespectful to your friends. You have to do this to respect yourself and your values and boundaries. In conclusion, peer pressure is normal for teens and young adults in college, but you never have just to sit and face it because you don’t want to seem uncool. It’s okay to be different.