Across the Bay Area teenagers have been faced with peer pressure with drugs, alcohol, stealing, bullying, etcetera. Have you ever been faced with peer pressure?
After interviewing my mom, Kelly, I realized that peer pressure has always been an issue and can seriously change someone.
“Yes, peer pressure has affected me in the past, especially when I was in high school,” Kelly Cattaneo reflected. “A lot of older people and things [were] going on around me, and I definitely lived beyond my age at the time, because everybody around me was trying and doing things that were probably not the best, and I did them all, just to follow along with my friends and people that are older than me.”
Many teenagers have been peer pressured into dangerous and harmful things such as drugs and vaping. When going to bathrooms around school, almost every time I go in there is at least one person vaping or smoking. A lot of times people get the idea of doing those things from their peers.
“I have been peer pressured into vape by friends at certain moments, but I didn’t do it because I held my ground in the situation,” said Ava Rutter, one of my close friends who is a freshman at Woodside High School. She has been with friends who have tried to get her to vape, but she held her own and knew that it was a bad thing to do.
To solve peer pressure from another peer, I would probably try to think of things from all aspects, and I would just make sure you’re confident and know who you are. Don’t second-guess your gut or your instincts.
— Jess Yepez
“I do believe that I have seen you affected by your peers,” Cattaneo continued. “I do believe that you are confident enough and that you can make the right choices, but I definitely believe that people do have an impact on you, and sometimes I think that you don’t think things through all the way.”
I have been impacted by peers to do things that I wouldn’t normally do, but most of the time I am able to hold my own and know that I shouldn’t do those things and walk away from the situation. My friend Jess Yepez was peer pressured but was too worried to talk to an adult about what happened.
“No, I did not talk to an adult about what happened,” Yepez commented.
Vape
Jess also tells me about what people should do about peer pressure and how to act towards yourself and your peers. “Just don’t peer pressure people; people will make their own decisions, so don’t peer pressure people into things they don’t want to do,” she advised.
I also got another very important piece of advice about being peer pressured.
“To solve peer pressure from another peer, I would probably try to think of things from all aspects, and I would just make sure you’re confident and know who you are,” said Yepez. “Don’t second guess your gut or your instincts.”
To help solve peer pressure, I think that teens need to realize the impact that they are putting on other students, because peer pressure is a big deal and is hurting many teens in the Bay Area.
For the Woodside Paw Print, I’m Cienna Cattaneo.
Cienna Cattaneo
