Caught in the Web.
(Personal experience)
Part 1
I bring to you an experience I had many years back, I was younger as at then, just a teenager without proper Orientation about life and being contentment at every stage or phase I find myself.
My elder siblings warned me back then in secondary school, but due to my negligence I didn't bother to get proper explanation that peer pressure can come in a silent system, it can be slow or sticky this is not a physical or practical phenomenon rather a Neurophysiological experience.
Peer pressure is sometimes mis understood in a way that other people think it's a physical activity involving someone dragging you by the collar and forcing you to "act this way" or "do a thing in a certain way or else". Most times it is in a softer but mental draining form. It can even look like laughter or fun moment but yet switching you into such reality.
I personally experienced mine during the senior Secondary level two, where I had began seeing and acting like the "big boy" I wasn't, the swagged type because I saw other boys my age doing same. I started noticing my friends do bring in their mobile gadget to school, expensive watches, lots of cash which of course definitely it was questionable and for the ladies they started doing lots of make ups, like it turned into a competitive event "who did the best make up and wear the best dress" we call it pinafore and sleeveless blouse.
The whole school environment changed especially my block, almost everyone was living above his or her capability, even does having parents as civil servant or day to day laborer was trying to compete with the politician children, the rich kids.
Just for what reason, peer pressure!.
I wondered, what happened to the normal ironed and sparkling white uniform, clean socks and an average hair cut? For the girls the normal decent dress code and in few cases application of lip glows during the harmattan season.
This mindset of "I want to be a classy and top dresser " increased which I knew so many became stealing and committing ungodly acts just to be felt among the group.
I was caught in between, yes I started acting same way, do you think I was a rock or ply wood? Emotions sets in, I am human after all, the only problem was I didn't had that much orientation and discipline to just be contented with my thing. I found myself in association that wasn't my lifestyle and discipline from home, a group that only discusses on musician beefing each other or as student they focus their attention on celebrities character and always try to replicate it.
Can you just imagine? How funny!.
I later learnt the hard way and that lesson I was grateful for.
I wasn't able to meet the ever increasing and competitive trends. I knew where I came from so I forcefully taught myself to be cautions of how I follow trends with my friends.
I was indirectly mocked, I was set aside deliberately, when I learnt all the lesson propelled by betrayals I became even more matured and yet humbled.
I will write the other experiences that occurred on my next post, to be continued.
All images are mine
Thanks for stopping by Hivers.
Peace.
