Peer Pressure and Its Consquences
If all your friends jumped off a cliff would you? This exasperating question has been used by generations of parents to crush youngsters' best laid plans. Its years of use have yielded one simple answer: Of course, all my friends would be dead. Let
us alter the scenario to align more closely with reality for a moment an examine the possible answers one might give.
Suppose all your friends are planning to buy the $5 hooker who hangs out at the local shop and rob and ask you to be a partner (no pun intended) in there little venture. Or suppose you and the guys get a little tipsy and decide they are going to go
shave Mrs. Jones's cat. If you approached your parents and asked there blessing to take part in these activities you would probably hear something to the effect of "Anyone who wants you to sleep with a $5 hooker is not your friend."
Being teenagers and therefore considerably more intelligent than our parents, we can approach this scenario in a more intellectual manner. As humans we have a powerful capability to control our own actions and make decisions to guide them. It is up
to the individual to examine each decision they are faced with and decide is this the direction I want to take my life? Is this action advantageous to my long-term goals? If your long-term goal is to contract every sort of VD known or die of AIDS just to
try and stay popular with your little clique, then slap down your money and go for a ride.
If you have other plans for your life, however, I would suggest you spend your money elsewhere. You must realize that you will not have the same friends your whole life. You can't expect to let other people make decisions for you. You can't follow
the crowd and expect it all to work out. Ask yourself is this decision consistent with my long-term goals? Will this decision cause me harm? Will this decision cause others harm? In the scope of the universe and the potential each individual has, it is no
t worth listening to Joe Blow and his troglodyte1 clan of goons.
When Joe calls and says him and all the popular kids are going to get drunk and steal the Interstate 69 sign you can decide if you want to listen to the Joe Blows of the world the rest of your life or become your own person independent of others in
fluences. It is time to take the wheel and steer your ship of life for the Caribbean because Joe's heading for the bottom on his raft of beer cans.
About the Author
Erin Kellogg is a senior at Lake Brantley High School in Orlando, Florida. He is on the
varsity lacrosse and cross country teams, and is ranked in the top 10 of his class. He plans on
attending the Naval Academy and pursuing a career in engineering.
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