Dispatches From Boulder City High School April 2026

Today is the second in a series of columns from local high school students. We're calling it Dispatches from Boulder City High School. Each column will highlight a subject of the student's interest. Today's author is Erin Bryce Skramstad.

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The Sunny Side of Social Pressure By Erin Bryce Skramstad

“Ultimately peer pressure can lead people to bully, but peer pressure can also say bullying is not acceptable,” -Barack Obama. Even though peer pressure is usually viewed negatively, this excerpt provides a better perspective. While it undoubtedly can have negative effects if allowed, pressure can provide drive if wielded properly.

Such is an exceedingly important topic in terms of high school, where your life and character is often on show for or a conversation amongst other students and peers. Furthermore, for some this is the first time where they experience this at such a large scale. The sizable commentation that’s sourced by the abrupt appearance of criticality in teenagers can be largely hurtful or degrading to one’s view of and confidence in themself. As previously stated, the potential number of comments as well as newly presented opinions from colleagues can be especially detrimental to students who are newer to a certain school/specific group of people. At this crucial age your brain is being largely restructured, and seeded self-doubt of identity can fester through a lack of social skills, development, or independence.

Additionally, the modern prevalence of social media is shown to induce greater judgement of others, as well as comparison of self. The constant opportunity to analyze individuals and demean yourself is debilitating to self worth and morale, important factors to a good disposition. The lack established thereof can have lasting influence, not only on the person alone but also their behavior towards others. Those struggling internally tend to be more negative towards others, hurting one’s social skills as well as relationships with peers, family members, and more.

However, much of life is what you choose to make it. This also applies to peer pressure, which is described as, “influence from members of one's peer group,”. Evidently, one’s experience with peer pressure is largely reliant on those they choose to surround themselves with. Teens are already proven to have a large effect on each other’s identity, mental health, and behaviors. They’re a large shaping factor of one another, unknowingly impacting how they will grow into themselves as adults. Once the aspect of peer pressure comes into play, the large impact your friends hold on your life becomes even more evident. Therefore, this emphasizes the importance of choosing the right friends and social circle. Not only does it largely affect your mental health and perspective of yourself, but also your behaviors in general and thus relationships with other people in your life, as well.

A great example of this can be found in the essence of plants, specifically flowers. Similar seeds can be found to grow in drastically different ways, solely based on contrast of environment. More than how you began, what matters is what you choose to be surrounded by. Such presents the difference between blossoming and withering, whether you choose to be in an environment that provides room for growth in comparison to one that pushes for decline.

This represents the effect a supportive friend group could have in comparison to one with negative behavior. Surrounding yourself with those who push you to try harder, do better, and think differently provides a much different example of “peer pressure” than usually talked about. Influence from other teens is largely shown to be linked to behavior, specifically in areas of academic performance, substance use, and mental health. Therefore, when positive behavior is exhibited and then reenacted it can have a great impact that continues to spread throughout a larger group of people. Pressure to fit into a group that aspires to be better, successful, or positive has a vastly different reaction than pressure exhibited by more detrimental groups.

Positive peer pressure can provide growth, change, empowerment, motivation, and more. It not only reshapes your current confidence, but helps structure the type of person you will grow to be. Habits you learn as modeled from others can carry long into your adulthood, as well as be passed onto friends and family to come. Positive relationships formed can allow both people to flourish as they inspire each other to better themselves. Remember to choose a garden that always allows you to grow.