Outline: Peer pressure
Introduction
Body
2 causes
2 effects
Conclusion
Introduction:
Good morning everyone!
Do you know that 80% of college students in the US consume an alcoholic drink every two
weeks, and 40% of them consume 4 or even more on occasion, much more than their non-
college peers? This difference is largely due to “peer pressure” when students must transition
from depending on their parents at home to depending on their peers on campus.
Today we’re going to talk about peer pressure and how it can influence students. We'll first
explore the causes before delving into the effects.
Body:
Let’s kick off the ball by dealing with the first fundamental question. Why are we susceptible
to peer pressure?
The first reason is very simple, we want to be liked, or to fit in. You're in a group, and
everyone's doing or thinking a certain way. Naturally, you don't wanna be the odd one out.
So, you will eventually go along with what others are doing, even if it's not exactly what you
normally do.
Secondly, the desire to follow peer behaviors may have roots in your lack of self-confidence.
If you are unsure about yourself, you might rely on others' opinions to guide your decisions.
Now that we’ve explored the causes of peer pressure, let’s turn our attention to its
effects on students.
First off, peer pressure can adversely affect the victims’ mental health. For this, let me share a
personal experience. A few years ago, as I still tried to fit in with others, I was constantly
asking myself questions like: “All my friends are doing it, should I also try? Am I cool
enough to them?”. Gradually, it made me question my own decisions, and then, before I even
realized it, I already had self-doubt and low self-esteem.
Another consequence of peer pressure is that the students may adopt bad habits, such as
drinking, smoking, drugs. According to a recent study, it was reported that up to 80% of
American college students, including those under the legal drinking age, consumed alcohol
because they had friends doing so.
Conclusion:
So, as we have seen today, peer pressure is mainly driven by our desire for acceptance and
low self-confidence. Conforming to the expectations of our peers can undermine our mental
well-being and lead us to adopt poor habits. I would like to finish by reminding everyone
that we need to know ourselves, and not be afraid to stand out. It's okay to listen to others,
but at the end of the day, it is your choice, your decision that matters.
Thank you for listening – and now if there are any questions, I would be pleased to
answer them.
