do? Peer pressure is something that can plague everybody, and it's something that everybody

deals with during puberty.

Puberty is a time of change, a time when your body is changing. You're going through emotional

turmoil. Your moods are changing. There's so much change. Things are in flux. And at

the same time your friends, what they're wearing, what they're playing, and what they're doing

has never been so important to you. Have you ever felt pressured to wear the right clothes,

download the right apps, watch the right TV programs, buy the right stuff? It's all part

of peer pressure.

And unfortunately, we sometimes see pressure to try alcohol, to try drugs, and to have

sex. I am here to let you know that you should never do something that you feel uncomfortable

doing or do something that you aren't ready to do. You need to trust your instincts. If

it feels wrong it probably is.

If you're uncomfortable with anything, if you need to talk to somebody, find somebody

that you trust. You can speak to your parents. It's great to have an open and honest relationship

with your parents. But, if you're uncomfortable speaking to them about something then talk

to an older sibling. Talk to a counselor at school. Talk to a friend. Talk to your doctor.

Talk to anybody you feel comfortable talking to about feeling pressure to do things that

you may not want to do. And trust yourself. Trust your instincts.

Puberty is definitely a time of change, a time of physical changes and emotional changes,

but it doesn't mean you have to change your mind about things you're not comfortable doing.

This is an area that you don't want to change. Stay true to who you are. You will make good

decisions and make it through puberty.