As campus becomes a newfound discovery among first-years, many do not notice how quickly it will change into a breeding ground of chaos and stress. The first week of school is filled with the excitement of meeting new students, making connections, and feeling the need to impress those who people make connections with.
Peer pressure is hard to avoid whether people like it or not, but when it comes down to it, how students handle these situations is of great importance. As time passes, and connections grow stronger, those new to the campus scene will get invites to outings and parties where they may begin to feel pressured by certain people or to live up to the expectation of being likeable among their peers.
According to a case study on the effects of peer pressure by Eunice Maina, “it is a common belief that adults actively construct their understanding of the world based on their life experiences. Contrary to children, adult decisions are supposed to be independent of peer pressure. Social learning theories have all argued that peer relationships influence cognitive, social, and emotional development.”
The question is, if adult decisions are supposed to be free from the influence of peer pressure, how come so many young adults struggle to say no to certain recreational activities, in fear of being looked down upon?
With social media portraying almost always only the best parts of people’s lives, I argue that peer pressure to appear successful and put-together actually increases during the transition to adulthood. The phenomenon of FOMO, the fear of missing out, has never been more unprecedented than in today’s digital age.
For the sake of their mental health, university students need to realize the struggle of peer pressure is intense and take measures to counteract the negative effects of it. First-year students should remember they don’t have to commit to every single event or party, no matter how much their newfound friends may say they’re missing out. Self-care is so important, and taking measures to avoid being overwhelmed by not over-committing is part of that.
There are always ways to be educated on avoiding the influence of peer pressure from campus awareness to guidance from student mentors. It really helps students to have a guiding source from people in a position of trust and who can relate to them based on experience. For instance, in the case of first-years, residence fellows, who are also fellow students, offer great support services towards students who struggle with making decisions during their time at university, along with decisions on how to prioritize their time between outings, school priorities, and more. They can speak in a judgement-free environment where residence fellows can offer support and advice from a student’s perspective.
If students who are beginning university do not live in residence, there are time management workshops that take place in MacOdrum library. At the same time that the school offers resources for students to manage their time and not give into peer pressure, it is the student’s responsibility to manage their time and realizing their own comfort zones and what crosses their boundaries. Each student who comes to Carleton University has their own mission they have come here to complete.
With hard work, balance, and believing in themselves, every Carleton student has the capability to do anything they set their heart and mind to. Along the road comes setbacks, obstacles and distractions, but it is up to every student to make themselves shine and for their future while making their goals and dreams a reality.
No matter how long the journey takes, and how many distractions are in the way, any student has it within them to be their best selves.
Photo by Meagan Casalino
