How to Deal with Peer Pressure in College?

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Pressure in College for Students

The desire to fit in and feel like you are part of a group is quite normal when you are in your college years. But, at the same time peer pressure, i.e., the feeling that you have to do something to be accepted, or be respected by your group mates can be tough to deal with. While peer pressure can be positive at times (e.g., you can recognise your friends' good habits and try to inculcate those), and on the other hand, it can also pressurise you to do things that may have deteriorating impact on your health, career, or morale. Negative pressure can approach you overtly (i.e., friends telling you to do something) or less directly (e.g., friends making fun of you for not doing the things that they do). Dealing with such pressure can be challenging since as a college-goer you're on your own and may be even living away from your home. Your parents are no longer there to watch over your activities, and ultimately you will be responsible for the decisions you make. But with simple things in mind, it won't be a problem to cope with negative peer pressure at all. Here we have discussed useful tips on dealing with negative pressure while in college:

1. Choose your friends wisely

Choosing a group of people who are supportive and kind will boost your morale, but  diversity in attitude is a common thing. And it might be possible that you get involved in a group with low morale. Being in a toxic peer network can be difficult especially if you're not too confident in your own skin yet. Such people may mock you for not following their norms, and you might choose the wrong path to commensurate with the group. But that's not a good idea, and a good rule of thumb is to take your time in knowing people first and make friends with high morale.

2. Know your values

Every person possesses some value that works as guiding element in his/her life. Well, the first thing is to stick to the values that you possess and always try to know what is right for you and what is wrong. As you are an adult now, it's your responsibility to adopt the things that will have a positive impact on your life and leave off those which will have a detrimental impact.

3. Do not hesitate to say ‘no' when required

If you ever feel pressurised to do something you don't like to do, simply tell the person pressuring you “No” and move on. If you are involved in a more complicated situation, talk to the people you trust such as your parents, your teachers, or even the police if you feel the need. Always remember that you will deal with the consequences of your own actions, so avoiding negative peer pressure is the only way to stay out of trouble.

4. Don't depend on one friend group

Having just one set of friends increases the pressure to fit in. It's a normal thing at college stage that students desire to be liked by their friends and in order pace up with this desire they do not care about right and wrong. And one way to get rid of this is to have more friends by becoming a member of various social clubs within the college campus or sports clubs. This will give you an opportunity to know different types of people, and it will be easier to judge the ones who are worth your friendship.

5. Engage in activities

The pressure of being accepted and liked by your peers often stems from lack of self-esteem. But once you start to love and respect yourself, you will not feel the need to be liked by others. So do the things that will boost your confidence- start a hobby class, learn a new language, find a part-time job where you can meet new people and grow your skill sets to make yourself realise that you are more efficient than others.

Well, peer pressure is recurrent in college, but with these simple ideas in mind, you won't get intimidated by it.

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Read Also: Simple Tips to Succeed in Your College Life