Peer pressure occurs everywhere whether we know it or not, its not just a fake thing that doesn’t exist. Students here at APB have experienced it themselves. “Jimmy” is one of the many victims of peer pressure.

For teenagers, it can seem very important to “fit in.” Teens are very concerned about their images, and they are worried about what others think about them. As a result, peer pressure is very influential in many teens’ lives.

The Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base reports that right around 30 percent of teens are offered drugs in middle school and high school.

“Jimmy,”( asked that his real name be withheld from this story to prevent punishment for telling his story.) an APB junior, said he was peer-pressured into smoking marijuana.

“I come from a world where science is everything, and people wouldn’t see me doing marijuana because I’m seen as a ‘nerd,” “Jimmy,” said. “ One day though after school my friends peer pressured me into smoking marijuana and now I feel like I fit in.”

“Jimmy”Teenagers can sometimes be desperate to fit into certain groups and will do just about anything to feel wanted by these so called friends.

“I do regret ever smoking the marijuana I feel like it changed me and even though my friendship has gotten closer to “Peggy” I feel like I have gotten farther away from myself” junior “Jimmy” said.

We as teenagers know that all we want is to fit in because high school can be a very rough and wild ride.

Jimmy began using drugs his junior year and was pressured into doing drugs by his friend “Peggy,”

“I have maybe peer pressured “Jimmy”  a little bit  but I just offer the weed and if they  take it or not its not my business I just want them  to enjoy it as much as I do senior Peggy( name being with hold to prevent punishment) said.”

The influence from each of these social systems seems to have a significant impact on the choices of teens.

Being peer pressured isn’t a great feeling because I feel farther away from who I really am, trying to fit in isn’t always the path we should go through.

Drugs isn’t even one of the main components of peer pressure now sex and alcohol are influential into fitting in it has now became even more popular and dangerous for our youth.

The Kaiser Foundation states nearly 50 percent of adolescents between the ages of 12- 18 feel pressured into having sex in relationships.

Honestly I haven’t been pressured into sex and no one should give in to it because it depends if you are ready for it or not; no one else controls your body or your mind except yourself.

Your body is valuable don’t have sex to be cool; wait till you are ready be aware of the consequences.

Even alcohol has 25 percent of teens have been involved in at least one episode of binge drinking according The Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“One day after school my friends asked me to go with them to the park and I went but soon I found out they had brought alcohol and they peer pressured me into drinking I felt like anxious when I tried alcohol I felt like I had to do it just to fit in and I regret it”senior Peggy( name being with held to prevent punishment) said.

Even the alcohol that they offer you can be drugged and many unwanted things can happen without you knowing.

Don’t do anything unless you don’t want to because it can change and harm who you were before.

No one should be a victim of peer pressure because you aren’t doing right for yourself but instead you are lying to yourself.

Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder yet so easy to make. Peer pressure can happen at any minute , size or shape but you have to learn how to distinguish whats right from wrong.

Being yourself is better than trying to fit it because you are unique in your own way.