Sometimes wondering around makes us think that, are we a leader or a follower? Both types of people are needed to make the world go around. It is how we chose to react to peer pressure that defines who we are as an individual.
The first point I want to make in this speech is that peer pressure is NOT a bad thing. We all are influenced by our peers, both negatively and positively. It helps define who we are and how we feel about subjects in our lives. It can be as simple as your classmate asking you to copy your homework and as difficult as your friends wanting you to try drugs for the first time.
Negative peer pressure takes place when someone tells you to do things that you know, or feel is wrong, hurtful, or dangerous. Life is about making decisions and each decision you make will lead you down a different path. It takes guts to stand up for yourself. At some point in time, you've got to assume responsibility for yourself.
Basically, the difference between negative and positive peer pressure is the outcome. The reverse of the situation above is negative peer pressure. The situation itself is positive peer pressure. Or is it? What if a teen really doesn't like sports, but pushes himself to do it to please his friends or to be accepted? Words can hurt. Friends can make you feel so pressured into doing something, you feel you have no choice but to go with the flow.
After all, who wants to be called "chicken"? They might tell you, "It's no big deal." or "Everyone's doing it." ??