Most undergraduates struggle with peer pressure.

According to Shannon, 2018, this

normally happen because college brings a new surrounding and different expectation that
sometimes in forms students are unfamiliar to dealing with. In contrast, students in high
school likely had their own strategies and support groups to encourage them in making smart
choices. Thus, college students may feel alone and far away from home, making them even
more exposed to peer pressure. Peer pressure among student seems widespread, however
there is very little evidence of its effects. For example, some studies have found peer pressure
happens in the workplace. For example, Mas and Moretti (2009) find that the productivity of
supermarket cashiers is affected by co-workers who can see them (particularly those they
interact with more), but not those who cannot. Bandiera, Barankay and Rasul (2010) fnd that
the productivity of fruit pickers is affected by those working along-side them, but only when
they are friends.

Many undergraduates often recognize peer pressure as an old cautionary tale that does
not normally apply to them because they believe they are smart enough to make good choices
(Lucy, 2017). However, they will not be themselves when surrounded by all of their friends
with the looming idea of humiliation and social downfall, hence they cannot control their
actions. In the academic journal “Adolescence,” a study was conducted to investigate the
influence of peer pressure and student activities on teenage drug involvement. It recorded that
42 percent of students surveyed had involved with drugs due to their friends, which was
found to be the most influential variable of drug involvement. The journal “Alcohol and
Drug Education” documented, “Students who see heavy drinking as a common activity at
their school are likely to increase their levels of alcohol consumption in order to gain social
acceptance and avoid negative peer evaluations.”

While peer pressure may have many well-known negative effects like drugs, alcohol,
or drunk driving, there are also hidden positive aspects. According to research, peer pressure
also can motivate individuals to stay focused and work hard towards achieving their goals.
Based on Leonardo and Robert experiment, they begin by examining how the introduction of
a system that revealed top classroom performers affected subsequent performance. Rather
than using the old examination system which the student result remains private, the system
was changed. The new system also awards points for students who get correct answers.
Simultaneously, home screens provided tabs revealing the names of the top three scorers in
the classroom, the school, and among all users of the system, as measured by cumulative
points received for the past week, month, and all time. There were no other changes to the
system. After the new system has taking place, they found out that students at the bottom of
the pre-change performance distribution did slightly better following the change. This study
showed that by observing others working hard and achieve their goals will definitely
encourage students to step up their game and strive towards something positive.