How to Cope with Teenage Peer Pressure

You do not have the coolest sports shoes? Are you not in the  coolest gang in school? You do not get invited to the hottest party of the year? Gosh! There are many such questions causing a lot of discomfiture, inconvenience and embarrasment to teenagers today and it is all because of – – – Peer Pressure.

Peer pressure in today’s high schools is so evident and strong that it almost has a physical form.

Here’s some ways to cope up with what is every teenager’s nightmare-

• Firstly, be confident about yourself. Changing for other’s sake isn’t going to take you anywhere.
• Everybody is not born charismatic. Learn the art of sweet talk.
• Nobody likes snobs. Be genuine and sincere.  Eventually your friends will accept you just the way you are.
• Sometimes, what looks attractive today may eventually ruin your life in the future.  Learn to avoid these
• Here’s a fact – there is nothing like ‘cool’. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. 
• Turning your weakness into strength is a challenge –  For instance, I know of a person who found it difficult to understand and recall lectures.  Nora (name changed) had to put in tremendous effort to graduate.  Nora is now a teacher in a primary school. She is also one of the most popular and sought after teachers.  She can identify the same hesitance and difficulty some children have in studying.  She knows just how to guide them and help them undertand the lessons as well as the other children in the class. 
• Teasing, getting bullied a little, worrying if you look good , are all experiences of teenage years. Everybody goes through it, so you are not alone.
• Face everything with a smile, but adhere to your principles.
• For issues that do not meet your approval either ethically or emotionally, have the strength to say “No”, firmly and kindlly
•  Compromise is important to fit in, just as long as it happens within the framework of your beliefs and rules 

Remember in the big world out there, nobody cares what you were, when at  high school. What you make of yourself and how well you fit into the fabric of the society is much much more important!