I’LL SHOW YOU YOUR FUTURE

pressure because trying to please people is one of my biggest weaknesses,” Fair said.

When teens want to fit in, they may feel that their only choice is to give in to the pressure, which can lead to consequences later in life. For instance, a nicotine addiction may form when someone is around people who smoke. As the people around an individual smoke, they may feel the need to par take in the bad habit as well, which could result in an addiction.

However, that all depends on the people we surround ourselves with. Also according to the AACAP, “It helps to have at least one friend who is also willing to say ‘no.’”

As the new school year begins, students may feel nervous. Whether you are in your first or last year of high school, you may face the predicament of having no friends in a class. Though this might be a daunting situation, there are ways to change this.

“I would honestly just say go up and talk to people,” Van Dusen said. “I know it can be nerve-racking to do that, but talk [to others], be yourself, do stuff you want to do by inviting people and be like, ‘Hey, want to see a movie?’ It is the best way to make friends.”

Fair has a similar approach to making friends but understands that there can be limitations.

“If you just try to be yourself, and befriend. Good friends can lift you up, while bad friends may push you down. As the friends you make can impact your future, it may be beneficial to consider which ones are leaving a positive influence versus a negative one.