By Zara Syed ‘27, Feature Staff Writer

Image Courtesy of Getty Images

The refusal of a cigarette representing the ability to ignore peer pressure

According to verywellmind, peer pressure is the “the influence that peers can have on each other.” In reality, this definition is quite shallow. Many give the word a negative connotation, but in some circumstances, peer pressure can actually have a positive influence. If you have friends setting great examples, being influenced into following their behaviors can be a good thing for your development as a person. However, more often than not, peer pressure forces people to partake in potentially dangerous activities. The most common victims of this dangerous and destructive type of peer pressure are high school students. 

The National Library of Medicine conducted a study displaying that 85% of high school students have experienced peer pressure at some point – 80% being influenced into smoking and 75% being influenced into drinking alcohol. Why is it that peer pressure peaks in high school? The answer lies in the idea of “belonging.” Everyone wants to belong, everyone wants to fit in, no matter what moral values, beliefs, or laws they break in the process. The desire to fit in puts high school students in an extremely vulnerable position. With the extensive use of social media, ideas spread like wildfires, further encouraging students to submit to peer pressure. Despite Newark Academy’s persistent effort to foster able minded students who have access to mental health resources, peer pressure still exists. In fact, an anonymous 9th grader said that it was just last week when she saw a peer being passively forced into letting another student copy their homework answers. One would expect that in a community like NA, peer pressure wouldn’t be apparent. NA strives to focus on equity and inclusion and the equity and inclusion statement includes, “Through intentional, active, and ongoing engagement of multiple voices, we strive to create an equitable environment where all members can have a sense of belonging to learn and grow as citizens of the world.” It is unfortunate, but highly reflective, to see peer pressure being able to reach communities like NA, which are centered around promoting differences. 

According to Anna Freud Mentally Healthy Schools, there are three key effects that negative peer pressure has: losing self-confidence, destroying physical health, and distancing from family and friends. Doing things like smoking and drinking diminishes your health, both physically and mentally. It is especially harmful to student-athletes who need to maintain a high performance level which requires both strong emotional resilience and physical endurance. Peer pressure also decreases one’s self confidence. If a person is constantly forced to do things by others – that they otherwise would not have done on their own – their confidence in themselves and in their decision-making will consequently reduce significantly, representing the significant effect peer pressure has on mental health. Mental health is a prevalent problem across all people. In fact, the Office Practicum reported that in 2023, more than 2.7 million American children faced mental health disorders. A large contributor to mental health is peer pressure, so by teaching kids to battle peer pressure, there would be a decrease in the amount of students who struggle from poor mental health. 

With these alarming, looming effects, the question still remains: How can we prevent peer pressure? There are a few ways. It is important to trust your instinct, use direct communication with the person who you feel is peer pressuring you, and talk to a trusted adult if you are being negatively impacted. Most importantly, though, set boundaries that help avoid things like smoking and drinking that can affect physical health and the consistent submission to others’ ideas that can diminish self confidence. 

When facing peer pressure, it is important to understand that there are resources available to help battle it. Specific to NA, the Mental Health Club welcomes any students at any time, and continues to foster a positive environment where self-confidence is promoted. Giving this club a visit is an accessible and effective way to confront peer pressure head on. In the future, NA could collect anonymous stories from students surrounding experiences involving peer pressure. These stories could be compiled and presented in a school-wide meeting to convey that peer pressure happens all the time, and it is important to acknowledge this and take action if you have experienced it. Some ideas that other schools have adopted in the last few years are creating mentor programs, where each freshman is paired with an older student to guide them through their first few months of high school or bring light to safe spaces, like guidance counselor’s office which is always open for a discussion about peer pressure. 

The topic does not just encompass “the influence that peers can have on each other,” but also that peer pressure is a nuanced issue that can have detrimental effects on high school students through a spectrum of passages such as sports performance, academic performance, and mental health.