When I think back on these two experiences, I'm amazed by the power of peer pressure. One day it almost made me drown; another day it motivated me to learn to swim. That's how it is with peer pressure—it can either be negative or positive, but it's always powerful.
Peer pressure was one reason the Pharisees wouldn't believe in Christ's words: "They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (1 Nephi 8:26–28).
I'm familiar with this negative side of peer pressure—the side that makes people turn away from what they know is right. I've been mocked because of my Latter-day Saint standards. I've had friends who have wanted me to shoplift clothes, cheat on exams, and be cruel to other people. Instead of wanting me to float and succeed, it was as if they were anchors pulling me down, trying to drown me.
But I've also had friends who have motivated me to do good things—things that have made my life better, not worse. When I was in the eighth grade, my friend Ali convinced me to try out for drill team for the next school year. This wasn't an easy feat, since the thought of trying out for an activity as a new freshman in a big high school terrified me. Ali convinced me to do something worthwhile that I might never have done without a little encouragement from a friend. And because of this friendly peer pressure, my adjustment to high school life was a lot easier.
Good friends motivated me throughout high school and into college, giving me the courage to run for student council, work for good grades, and nourish a testimony of the gospel. These friends were positive influences in my life. They wanted me to succeed, and they helped me grow.
These experiences have taught me that not all peer pressure is bad, as many people tend to think. It depends on the type of pressure and from whom it is coming. I've learned that when I surround myself with the right kind of influences, I'm less likely to sink into the ways of the world. Positive pressure from the Church and from friends with high standards is the force that has acted like a back bubble in my life, keeping me afloat.
Illustrations by Steve Kropp
© 2011 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.