Adolescence is a time that radically changes our mindset and physical appearance but also our journey into adulthood, emphasizing our sense of belonging. As teenagers we are constantly navigating high school standers as the actions of friends and classmates can strongly influence our decision. A recent event in my life outlines exactly this difficulty of deciding between individuality and the desire to fit in, spotlighting the importance of self-respect in front of others.
Latterly, I was at a party organized by my close friends. Typical of these youthful parties, laughter mingled with music let the relaxed atmosphere slowly spread. Moreover, conversations flowed naturally, prompting my friends to get into stories about underage drinking. I already knew they consumed alcohol from a young age by fulling themselves it will hasten their transition into adulthood, but their firstly harmless stories began to put pressure on my shoulders.
After a few minutes, I found myself in a corner sipping my non-alcoholic cocktail and unexpectedly surrounded by so many thoughts. Should I jump into their conversations? If I refuse a drink will I be marginalized? These thoughts raced through my mind as others invited me to take part in their exciting stories. I felt the weight of their expectations, but even so I knew I couldn’t expose myself to underage drinking, not just because the legal and health consequences but also concerning my life values.
Eventually, my refusals evoke some teasing remarks from a few friends that marked the fact that like this I miss out the fun, but that didn’t stop me from sticking to my guns. As a result I’ve learned that true friendships do not depend on conforming to norms.