• 3 months ago
Transcript
00:00Oh man, it was awesome!
00:08So like, the bad guy is trying to start World War 3, and he's in this submarine, and he's
00:12got this helmet on, so Professor X can't read his mind, but then Magneto leans out of the
00:16plane and uses his awesome magnet power to like, pull the whole submarine right out of
00:21the-
00:22Hey, are you even listening to me?
00:25Just because all your friends jump off a bridge doesn't mean you-
00:28Fine, but don't say I didn't-
00:36Warn you.
00:42Dear Tim and Moby,
00:44My friends are constantly sharing gossip and posting mean rumors.
00:48I'm scared they'll drop me if I don't join in.
00:51What do I do?
00:53From Riley
00:54Hey there, Riley.
00:56That sounds like a tough situation.
00:58It can be really difficult to resist peer pressure.
01:02Well, peers are people in your age group, like classmates, or the kids in your neighborhood.
01:08As you get older, you spend less time with your family, and more time with your peers.
01:13It's only natural to want to fit in.
01:16So you might start to dress the same, talk the same, or even act the same.
01:21When the decisions you make are influenced by those around you, that's peer pressure.
01:27Actually, it's not always a bad thing.
01:29Humans are social animals.
01:31We get cues on how to behave from those around us.
01:34So in many situations, peer pressure can actually be good.
01:38If you play a sport, teammates can encourage you to practice more and cooperate.
01:43Certain classmates might motivate you to get good grades to keep up with them.
01:47Close friends support you when you're down and can help you stay positive.
01:51But in other circumstances, peer pressure can be, um, not so good.
01:59It's tempting to always want to keep up with your friends.
02:02Even when they might do things that are destructive or dangerous.
02:06Like drinking, smoking, taking drugs, shoplifting, or being mean to other kids.
02:14You might not feel happy or comfortable joining in.
02:17But saying no isn't always easy.
02:19We all want to get along with our friends and not be left out.
02:23Like if you're at a party where there's alcohol,
02:26people might make fun of you or single you out if you don't have a drink.
02:29Or you could look around and realize that everybody else is drinking.
02:33You might grab one just to avoid feeling weird or different.
02:38Yeah, that's kind of like what Riley's dealing with.
02:41Even when no one is telling you what to do, you can still feel forced to fit in.
02:46That kind of pressure can seem innocent, which makes it harder to resist.
02:52Hard, but not impossible.
02:54No matter how much pressure you're feeling, the final decision is always yours.
02:59Learn to trust your own sense of right and wrong.
03:02That's the surest way to feel good about your choices.
03:05One choice you'll be happy you made is to pick your friends wisely.
03:08Hang out with kids who share your values and respect your interests.
03:12Those kinds of friends won't judge you or get hung up on superficial stuff like how you dress.
03:19Right, they also won't make you feel bad for doing what you like,
03:23or for saying no to things you think are wrong.
03:26But if you expect to face a high-pressure situation, it helps to be prepared.
03:31You can practice different ways of turning people down,
03:35or come up with clever excuses to avoid situations entirely.
03:38The buddy system works, too.
03:40Find a friend who shares your concerns, and stick together for support.
03:44If all else fails, find an adult to back you up.
03:48They'll understand. They deal with peer pressure, too.
03:52Nope, I never give in to peer pressure.
03:54I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I...
03:58Oh, hey, Rita. You guys are going to the Renaissance Fair?
04:01Cool, can I...
04:03I have to dress like a jester.
04:05But I want to be a knight.
04:07I've even been practicing my jousting moves.
04:13Look, you don't understand, okay?
04:15Being a teenager is hard.