Peer pressure is one of the many social phenomena that resonates most significantly with teenagers. Many teens see it every day, creating either positive or disastrous effects in lives. Yet, how do we really define it and how can we avoid it?

The first step to defining peer pressure is understanding why it happens. Campus Minister and senior at Cathedral, Patrick Kearney said, “Peer pressure is very prevalent with the party scene…People want others to be part of their group, and they want to be cool.”

Campus Minister Robbie Smith said, “People drink and do drugs because some people actually want to do it, and they’re known as the people who have fun. Other people want to have that, do the same thing, and end up realizing it’s not as fun as it seemed.”

Mr.Kevin Du nn, Spanish and Campus Ministry service teacher, provided his take on the nature of peer pressure and said, “When you see someone with a lot of ‘social capital’ per se, doing something, you’re more likely to do it.” However, he believes that peer pressure is not always a negative thing. Mr. Dunn describes peer pressure in the positive sense and said, “People push each other to do well on tests, study, and even do service.”

You may be asking yourself if peer pressure is really affecting Cathedral students? Mr. Dunn said yes, but maybe in a positive way. He said, “Seniors and juniors have a really good opportunity to display positive peer pressure.” However, Robbie Smith said, “I don’t associate with those types of people [who pressure each other],” and said he therefore doesn’t see the effects himself.

However, whether it’s regarding parties or the amount of time a student spends studying, most teenagers witness peer pressure directly around them. Patrick Kearney said that when faced with difficult choices, the best thing to do is make your own decisions. Another positive way to deal with negative peer pressure is to simply remove yourself from the situation so you don’t feel obliged to make a harmful choice.

In Catholic social teaching, Mr Dunn said, “There’s this whole thing called occasion of sin. It’s when you place yourself in a situation to do things that are wrong.” Paraphrasing Church teaching, he said, “You’re to be authentically free and the only way to be authentically free is to follow your informed conscience.”

When it comes down to a situation where you feel like a person or a group is influencing the way you act, there are essentially two routes: give in or resist. Sometimes, peer pressure can be beneficial in that it drives some students to study more or become as involved as their friends. Yet, there are still those times where students pressure other students to make harmful decisions such as experimenting with drugs or excluding a classmate. Either way, make sure your choices are uniquely your own and are choices that could make your future self proud.

As Mr. Dunn said, “When you wake up at 9 o’clock the next morning, are you going to be happy with what’s being said of you?”