“Come on, it won’t hurt, just do it.” or “Go do it, don’t be a chicken.” These are some of the things you may hear as a college student from those you call your peers. By the time you’ve reached college, you’ve experienced what is known as peer pressure. It is a part of the nature of humans to want to fit in no matter who they’re with. Sometimes, peer pressure is obvious. As stated in the beginning, your friends can start begging you to do things like go to a concert or even call you names if you don’t do it to make you feel like you’re less of a person. Even so, there is nothing to feel ashamed about.
This is a normal thing to have happen, but instead of just standing there and taking the peer pressure, there are many ways to handle it properly. Though giving in to peer pressure isn’t always as bad as you think, sometimes peer pressure can lead you to do things needed to step outside of your comfort zone. Here are the tips you need to handle peer pressure so that you don’t get into dangerous situations but also know when it’s the right time to listen to your peers.
Empowering Yourself To Resist: Trust Your Instincts
It’s more difficult to resist peer pressure than just saying no. It can be challenging at times, particularly when you’re feeling weak, alone, or simply very eager to meet new people. These abilities might aid you in resisting peer pressure. First, listen to your gut and mind. Though sometimes people throw these thoughts out the window, thinking that it may be nothing but an idea or a feeling, it is important to listen to your body. It can tell you whether you need to do it or not. This is called flight or fight. Your body is never wrong, so always listen to your body if you are being peer pressured.
Second, always believe in yourself more than anyone. You know who you are and whether or not what is being asked of you is something that you’ll do. Don’t ever do anything that you know you are not okay with.
Third, know your values and limits. Your values are important as a person. Never give in to something that’ll disgrace what you value. For example, if you know you value your religion, never resist peer pressure that goes against it. Your body’s limits are something only you know, so never do more than your body can handle. Know when to put the bottle down or even when to say no to drugs.
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.