Peer pressure is a constant force, starting as early as kindergarten. The only difference now is that we are much more conscious of its impact. In our younger years, we are reassured that it’s good to be different. Back then, we believed it, but how realistic is that now? In some ways it’s realistic, but in other ways, it’s not, and dealing with the force of peer pressure is being pushed to the side way too often. I’ve learned that no matter what I do or don’t do, there is almost always going to be someone who has something to say about my choices, whether it’s positive or negative, so my advice is that you should be you, and do your own thing because it is totally okay to be different – your own unique self. While that is very easy to say, it’s often difficult to actually do. Why? Because people will almost always have their own ideas about you and your choices, and functioning in ways that are completely independent of that pressure is extremely difficult, especially when it comes to social media.

In the world of social media, people are often subjected to judgment 24/7, which results in people staying in their comfort zones. Even though we all say diversity is a wonderful teacher and that we can all learn from our differences, it can become a hollow and/or false sentiment because some people are fearful about being different. For some people, it feels comforting to be liked. Being an outsider or looked down upon will never bring happiness. If people choose to stay in their comfort zone, it’s because of “feeling” the threat of judgment and/or disapproval. People may try to stay in a little bubble to fit in and avoid judgment, but judgment can’t always be avoided. It’s everywhere. It always will be.
We will always come into contact with peer pressure at different stages of our lives, whether in our activities, sports, family life, or the paths we choose to take. The extent of that pressure may intervene when we are wanting to join the same sport as our friends, maybe sacrificing a dream to go to the same college as our friends, or putting a dream on hold in order to start a family. On the other hand, peer pressure can be a good thing if it pushes us out of our comfort zones in order to try new things. Expanding our comfort zones can lead to new opportunities and experiences. Whether the outcome is positive does depend on the situation though, because if someone is pressuring you, it’s generally not a good thing, but it might be good if it means learning something new or investing in an opportunity. Too much succumbing to peer pressure is normally a bad thing, and that is what tends to get people in trouble. The reasons why people succumb to peer pressure can vary, but what sums it up is the fact that people want to be liked. Some people tend to be insecure and don’t want to be judged by a certain image that could be false and spread to a crowd of people. If people don’t like you or think about you in a way you don’t like, it puts pressure on you to be the fake or “the best” you. This is ultimately a falsehood when people go out of their way to be something they’re not, in order for others to like them. Something we have been told since preschool or kindergarten is that it’s okay to be different, and it’s awesome for everyone to be their own person, but how true is that? The older we get, the more aware we become that people will judge you if you aren’t the same. When we were younger, it was so cool to show up to school with a different pack of markers than everyone because they were different and everyone thought they were cool. Nowadays, if you don’t have the same basic style as everyone else, you’re weird. If you don’t go out and party on the weekends, you’re weird. If you’re not the stereotypical kid, you’re weird. This contradicts the statement that we value diversity, that everyone belongs and should be treated fairly. Honestly, it’s hypocritical when we say we value diversity and then criticize people who are not the same as we are. We make them feel bad, ultimately pressuring them to be the same as everyone else. We have always had this tendency to judge people based on the idea of how similar they are to us, whether it’s the sport they play, the clothes they wear or the music they listen to. Peer pressure is not needed and everyone should feel able to be different without anyone judging them