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College is all about figuring out who you are and who you want to be. Oftentimes you’ll be encountered with peer pressure from other friends telling you, oh, this is what you should do. It takes a certain strength to be able to say, no, I don’t want to do that. I’d much rather do this or, no, that’s okay, thanks. It’s difficult to say because oftentimes you feel like you’re being judged or you’re being evaluated by other people and if you don’t do this thing, then maybe you won’t look cool, but in truth it’s really up to you to decide what’s worth it. Consider all the legal, ethical and moral ramifications of anything you do or anything someone asks you to do. It’s important to choose your friends wisely and if you see a friend who you think might be peer pressured into doing something they don’t want to do, help them find the strength to say, no, I don’t really want to do that. Or, hey, let’s try and do something else. If you feel like you’ve been dealing with a lot of peer pressure and you need someone to talk to, find a supportive friend or a parent or a college counselor, or even a professor. Find someone who can support you and help you make the decisions that you want to make. So that next time when you’re in a situation where there’s peer pressure, you’re able to assert yourself and say no in a way that makes you feel comfortable.
