“Sometimes, it is hard to deal with the pressure that your friends put on you that you can’t stop thinking about it,” said Christina Carulla, an eighth grader at Ladera International School.
“This is an entirely new generation with different values and I would say it’s harder to not give into pressure nowadays. Everyone is so consumed with looking, feeling, and being a certain way that nothing else seems to matter,” says Therese Demopolis, a senior at Marianas High School.
With all the private and public schools back on track, hundreds of students are now settling into their new schedules, finding new friends and preparing for the school year.
“I’d just say if your friends do things that you don’t usually do or say, maybe you are hanging out with the wrong crowd and you need to find new friends. If you don’t feel comfortable, then you probably need to find new friends,” said Carulla.
“For me, once I’ve overcome peer pressure, I do feel a huge sense of accomplishment and at the same time relief that the job is done and over with, and it doesn’t hurt to reap the benefits. People who are persistent, hardworking, and know their values will have no trouble overcoming negative pressure,” said Demopolis.
“Teenagers generally have it both the easiest and hardest in life because in such a short span of time what we do will determine who we are as adults. Any kind of hardship faced in high school is a mile stone in life,” she said.
“We’ll cross the bridge when we get there—that’s been my motto when dealing with pressure and stress. By taking things one step at a time and dealing with them promptly, it helps clear the mind so when decisions are made, they are made definitely and consciously,” she added.
Carulla thinks it’s just going to get tougher.
“I think the future will be harder. More things will be created for the use of teenagers and more rated R movies will be produced. Stronger alcohol will be made. Teenagers want to be cool and fall for all that. Peer pressure is like a jigsaw puzzle once you disconnect the pieces, it will be way harder to put back,” said Carulla.
“And when I deal with it, really, I say to myself, good job! One problem down, 300 thousand more to go!” she laughs.
