Conventional wisdom says that a person’s surroundings inevitably have an impact on his or her personality. However, whether or not these influences are good or bad is complicated, and labeling such influences requires prudent evaluation.

    It goes without saying that teenagers’ violations of rules are a matter of public concern. The main cause of these violations is peer influence. Teenagers are curious and cursory when their so-called friends introduce them to new things. At first, they may be only impressed by such novel thoughts and deeds, but gradually they tend to imitate such “feats” in order to follow trends. Because of this, being surrounded by peer pressure can have a negative influence on underage minors, so it calls for caution.

    Nevertheless, the impact of one’s surroundings can also be beneficial. For example, I was the organizer for a math study group in high school. As we aimed to improve our academic performance, my group members and I did assignments together and discussed questions that came up along the way. Because many students were diligent at studying, students who at first were unmotivated to do their work gradually became curious and hard-working. As expected, we found out that the majority of the members’ grades improved by the end of the term. Therefore, a harmonious and motivating atmosphere is advantageous, for it can inspire a person to exert his or her effort so as not to fall behind others.

    The above instances present potential scenarios from an adolescent’s perspective, but these examples do not reflect all situations. In conclusion, one’s behavior, influenced by his or her peers, can vary greatly, so peer pressure should not be regarded as a sword that only has one blade. After all, most things in life are like a coin with two sides.