Chapter 16 first post

This chapter I want to focus on peer power and peer pressure, this can be found on pages 442-443 in our textbook. I picked peer pressure because this is a great subject to reflect on since we all know, experienced and heard of peer pressure before. I especially want to reflect on the first two sentences underneath the peer pressure headline "adults sometimes fear peer pressure, that an adolescent's peers will push her or him to try drugs, break the law, or do other things tht child would never do alone."( Berger 422). I wanted to reflect on this because I wanted to note that I feel society, media and outside views influence these parents fears. I know for myself my mom watched too many teenage movies where the girl gets bullied , starts trying drugs and gets into the wrong crowd. I also know that having teenagers go on drugs and drinking was all over the news which worried her too. Also now Facebook sends out all these warnings and stories to share which she saw also, and started to conform to what society was thinking about friend groups. I also wanted to note this could be a big problem when transitioning schools. Since I went to catholic school, my mom was used to that set of Friends my whole life. Then when I got into high school I started hanging around with different people and she thought this could be the worst for me. She feared peer pressure and bad decisions due to my new background. But what she didn't know was how great all these people were and all the new friends I met eventually after adjusting to the school. This brings up the next point the book states "the fear ignores the fact that friends generally encourage socially desirable behaviors, such as joining sports teams, studying for exams , rejecting cigarettes and applying to college." (Berger, 442). That's exactly what happened to me , I joined a volleyball team and met so many new people and it was a great change from catholic school to the same people to a different school with many changes. Next I want to talk about the different peer groups, cliques and crowds. The funny thing is, I believe my friend group was both. We were made up of almost 50 people, and everyone stayed loyal and true friends as bizarre as that sounds. It was the best experience I had, me and my friends would always hangout here and at each other's houses, all 50 of us. I was worried when I transferred to a new school that i would get peer pressured into bad decisions, but I found the right group of friends and I am still friends with them today. I do believe everyone experiences some type of peer pressure in their lives but I do not believe it is worth all the fear and anxiety for parents and caregivers. When you're in your teenage years you find people you may be friends for life for. Sometimes friend groups change and people change but that is the whole process of growing and developing through teenage years. I think being peer pressured, finding a crowd or clique is all apart of the teenage developing stages and gaining sociality. The whole reason why I wanted to talk about peer groups and peer pressure in my blog today is because I wanted to bring society into it, and show that even though they label things as peer pressure cliques and crowds , I think you can make it to be a great experience without the labels. I wanted to reflect on how that when you grow older, you sometimes might experience peer pressure but you will find where you fit in and learn how to be social. I feel that peer groups is where you learn about yourself and learn about other people and learn that you and meet someone completely different from you and find that you could have something in common. I just wanted to tell a little background too on society and my life and let you guys know a little more about my experience of peer groups and friends.