Teen Conformity

I’m sure many have shared stories of their high school experiences and can relate when I say those four years have taught me many lessons. During this time, I’d come face to face with the fraudulent friendships, temporary romances, and other high school dramas that my parents once warned me about—those of which I simply brushed off as myths. It wasn’t the 90’s anymore— times have changed and people are different—or at least, that’s what I thought.

The story “Way too cool” by Brenda Woods is an outlandish story because the main character Aston James changes twice. Before the change he was a teenage norm, trying to comprehend where he belongs and who he really is. The change occurs when he realizes that not being yourself is not cool but foolish. However in the end he changes back to Mr. Cool due to peer pressure and to maintain his stature. Through this last change the author helps me understand that peer pressure negatively affects one’s decision-making skills and self-esteem. This story also gives me an insight into why students give up or even commit suicide due to their peers.

Despite the large amount of people that feel confident and comfortable in expressing themselves freely, many adolescents have a deteriorating concept of self because of the belief that they should have to conform to their peer’s ideals. The identities of these children are being dictated by a need of acceptance from prominent social groups in their environment; however, teenagers must realize one’s own individuality as something beneficial and recognizing that conforming can become problematic in certain situations.

“Why fit in when you can stand out?” You have been told this your whole life. But whose responsibility is it to find out where you fit in, yours? Or your peers? Your adolescent years are all about trying to not stand out, and trying just as hard to fit in with the “in crowd.” You use more energy trying to “fit in,” instead of just spending all your energy on being who you really are. A group of friends are suppose to have things in common, but that is hard when everyone is putting up a fake persona. It is the student body’s responsibility to make sure that everyone has a place they can fit in and be themselves. People spend their whole lives trying to “fit in,” while the people who “stand out” are the ones who become something. Think

John Marsden, the author of Tomorrow, When the War Began once said about teenagers: “I believe passionately in their strength, intelligence and abilities and I think we often underestimate their capabilities.” The way society and the media negatively perceive young teenagers does not necessarily represent reality. Through Marsden’s popular text, different characters demonstrate several aspects of courage and leadership. As one of the protagonists, Ellie Linton discovers that there is a new potential truth for Australia. The author raises three key concepts about teenage stereotypes by Ellie’s survival during the invasion of a foreign force. John Marsden suggests that she experiences a rapid transformation from a ‘tomboy’ to a hero and is placed in dangerous situations where the consequences are everlasting. Through Ellie’s actions, behaviours and reactions, he also informs the reader about her alters in reality when she learns about the qualities she thought she never had.

Let me start off by saying this reading really opened up my eyes. It’s crazy that there is so much that comes into consideration when being apart of a society. High school is a big part of many people’s lives, they need to make it out big in the hallways. This means that people will do anything in their power just to fit in with the “cool kids”. In reality there is such a thing of a higher status and a lower status, but the fact that in high schools it’s a huge problem is sad. When I was in high schools, which wasn’t that long ago, this was a big problem. People needed to have the hottest clothes, shoes, phones, and music, in order to just be recognized. The funny thing is was that, the “nerds” were very high in demand as well. The cool kids wanted to be on their side as

High School culture has changed since the “old days.” Students from all grades are not only striving for academic success, but also participate in many extracurricular activities as outside forces continue to impact social life. With this comes the typical struggles of students figuring out who they are, and what kind of person they want to become as college becomes a daunting factor.

Four years…it can’t be that hard right? A handful of teenagers have little to no problem fitting right into the high school routine, their friends come naturally and so does popularity. What most outsiders don’t see is the peer pressure, broken relationship, and distress most students go through in order to maintain a social status within the high school domain. My goal for this project wasn't to inform students about the struggles that high school brings forth, the goal for me was to help students through not only my experience but the experiences of my friends and upper classmen. The actual product which came from this project has met and exceeded my goal of not only informing people about the daily struggles high school students are forced to undertake but guiding fellow students with our own experience

High school High school is a very crucial part of everybody’s life filled with many learning moments and also times that most would like to never redo. This being said we all go through this time and we can all relate to the stereotypes that come along with high school. Some were on the top and others were on the bottom, but everyone had their specific place.

Every public school lunch room is filled with many tables, every day these tables are the perfect place for a student to find where they “belong”. Like Beverly Daniel Tatum states in “Why Are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”, part of the social groups forming in high schools goes to thank adolescents. Tatum writes, “As children enter adolescence, they begin to explore the question of identity, asking ‘Who am I?’ ‘Who can I be?’”(375). At this point in their life everyone begins to see their own interests and hobbies that makes them a little different than others. Because students are starting to realize their differences, in modern day high schools there are many social groups that students can identify with and feel the most comfortable being themselves.

Trying to find individuality in a world of social expectations is the most trying challenge any one person is expected to overcome. “The Queen Bee and Her Court” by Rosalind Wiseman gives readers an in-depth look at high school cliques and social hierarchies, and the effects of peer pressure while trying to find one’s self. From the Queen Bee who utilizes her power to control the wannabes, to the target who is just waiting for the end of high school, everyone can see themselves as at least one of the author’s stereotypes. Before starting this assignment, I will admit that I was skeptical of the idea I could even possibly learn anything from this article. I asked myself “How can the author really know how high school is?” Over time, however, I realized the truth in everything that she wrote. High school is a place to figure out individuality and gain a sense of self. It is hard, however, to do so when there are so many social expectations and societal rules to follow. As I pondered the truth of the difficulty of these expectations, I realized that not only is this exemplary of high school; however, it carries on throughout college and even into careers. No matter where life takes someone on their path, there will always be a “Pleaser,” there will always be a “Target,” and there will always be “Sidekicks” and “Queen Bees.” The most important thing is learning to co-exist with the peer pressure that comes with the ever repeating social patterns. As author Collin Hanks

Whispers fly around the hallways, yelling can be heard from classrooms, the lunchroom is in no regards a sanctuary, but rather a social jungle of cliques and cliches. A high school is the perfect example of the decline in morals in America, but that’s a common misconception across many generations. Being a rowdy teen is a part of growing up and discovering who you are. Even though some teenagers can be difficult and exhausting to deal with, it’s a rite of passage and an important part of their childhood. Morals aren’t declining in America, instead teens are going through a series of mistakes that will shape their lives and will develop who they are as a person.

High school. The dreaded time and place that every young American has to suffer through. The institution where conformity is expected but individuality is preached from every impassioned liberal arts teacher. It is in high school that American teenagers are expected to make choices that will determine the outcome of their entire lives. They are expected to make good grades, fill their schedules with extracurriculars and still find time for family, a social life and a job. In the essay “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood”, Leon Botstein convicts the American education system of caging the independent nature of teenagers by placing them in hormonal crazed, clique obsessed institutions that are deemed to be places of educational standard past the point

In the article title “Individuality vs. Conformity: The Healthy Middle?” by an anonymous high school student it says that there are only two thing that a typical high school student wants to typically achieve in their short high school life (par. 1). One of these things is to fit in (par. 2). The second one is to be different (par. 3). How could you do this?. You could choose to be individual or just conform. However I really maintain the idea that what we should really do it's to stay in the middle so we won't forget who we really are and still be liked by different groups of people.

Did you know that elephant owners in Asia can keep their elephants in their yard with a simple piece of twine and a post in the ground? I’m sure you’re probably thinking, “How is that possible? Elephants are strong, smart, and have potential to do huge things.” The answer has nothing to do with the twine and the post; but it has everything to do with the twine around the elephant’s mind. The thing is, teenagers are a lot like elephants. We are strong, smart, and have incredible potential, but somehow we are held back by a tiny piece of string, held back by a lie; the lie that teenagers are rebellious, good for nothing, lazy bums. Today I am going to be talking about how this lie affects the relationship between adults and