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Grind your Mind


1. Your friends are all picking on one person at school for no reason. You’d like to do something about it, but you’re afraid that if you do, no one will like you anymore. You should just join in the teasing to let your friends know that you are really one of them.

 


2. Your friends are asking you to do something wrong, or something that makes you nervous or uncomfortable, like shoplifting from your favorite store, cheating on a test, or lying to your parents about where you are. You should suggest something else that is still fun and exciting but won’t get you in trouble.

Cartoon drawing of a boy riding his skateboard

 


3. Everyone always makes such a big deal about staying out of trouble - but sometimes it seems fun to do something you know you shouldn’t. It’s not like anyone would know if you stole a street sign or skipped a class. Nothing that bad ever really happens.

 


4. One of your friends is smoking a cigarette and it looks kind of cool. It wouldn’t be so bad to just have one.

 


5. You’re with your friends and everyone else is drinking. They all want you to try a beer and you’re not sure what to do. You don’t know how to say no, and you want to feel like you belong, so you should just go ahead and try it.

 


6. The “in” crowd can be a cruel place to be - everyone is always worried about losing their place or doing something stupid. It’s better to have a group of friends who like you for who you are - not who you pretend to be!

 

Way to go! You kick flipped through this tough peer pressure challenge.

Try again!

 

Cartoon graphic of a boy falling off his skateboard

Wrong!
Even though it may seem easier to join in the teasing, you will feel even worse after it’s over. Besides, no one ever made a real friend by hurting someone else. If you can stand up for yourself - and for others - then someone else may just follow your lead.

Cartoon graphic of a boy doing a kick flip on his skateboard

Correct!
Chances are that others feel the same way you do. Most people don’t want to be mean, but they may do mean things because they want to feel like they belong. Stand up for yourself -and for others- and then someone else may just follow your lead.

Cartoon graphic of a boy doing a kick flip on his skateboard

Correct!
Right on! It can be hard to tell your friends that you don’t want to do something, but you’ll feel better about yourself in the end. You already know that you can have tons of fun without getting in trouble, or hurting yourself or someone else. Maybe you could go try some new moves at the skateboarding park, check out the blockbuster, or learn a new sport like rock climbing.

Cartoon graphic of a boy falling off his skateboard

Wrong!
Any time that anyone wants you to do something you are uncomfortable with or that you know is wrong, you should let them know that it’s not for you. And there’s tons of fun, new stuff you can do without getting in trouble - suggest trying some new moves at the skateboarding park, checking out the new laser tag place, or learning a new sport like rock climbing.

Cartoon graphic of a boy falling off his skateboard

Wrong
It can be fun to take risks - but there are good risks and bad risks. Good ones challenge you and help you to grow - like trying out for the ski team or making new friends. Bad risks are dangerous and can get you or someone else into serious trouble or worse. Stealing a street sign seems like no big deal, until there is an accident because the sign tellg the car to stop is decorating your bedroom wall.

Cartoon graphic of a boy doing a kick flip on his skateboard

Correct!
People may not find out about stealing street signs or skipping class. But sometimes the things we do cause trouble that we never see coming. Stealing a stop sign seems like no big deal - but what happens when there’s an accident because the sign telling cars to stop is decorating your bedroom wall? To make good decisions, you have to think about the things that could happen because of what you do. Sometimes those things are way more dangerous than you thought possible.

Cartoon graphic of a boy falling off his skateboard

Wrong
Doing anything that you know is bad just because a friend pressured you is never a good idea. You friends should respect you for doing your own thing, but you’ll never regret being true to yourself. You probably would regret doing something you don’t want to, especially if you were facing the rest of your natural life without a cell phone or MTV because your parents found out, you know that you did something wrong - and your conscience will drive you nuts.

Cartoon graphic of a boy doing a kick flip on his skateboard

Correct!
Even if something seems cool, you should think about what you really want, and your friends shouldn’t mind if you do your own thing. It takes courage to stand up or stand out, but you’ll never regret being true to yourself. You probably would regret doing something you don’t want to, especially if you were facing the rest of your natural live without a cell phone or MTV because your parents found out, you know that you did something wrong - and your conscience will drive you nuts.

Cartoon graphic of a boy falling off his skateboard

Wrong
It can be hard to say no to your friends. To make it easier - and help you keep your cool - try to think through situations like these before they come up. Here’s a hint: think of ways to get out of a hot spot ahead of time. Just remember to keep your answers truthful - nothing’s worse than getting caught in a lie!

Cartoon graphic of a boy doing a kick flip on his skateboard

Correct!
You’re already ahead of the game - you know that you shouldn’t do things just because other people do them. It can be hard to say no to friends. To make it easier - and help you keep your cool - try to think through situations like these before they come up. Here’s a hint to help you keep your cool: get ready for situations like these before they actually happen by thinking of ways to get you out of a hot spot. Just remember to keep your answers truthful - nothing’s worse than getting caught in a lie!

Cartoon graphic of a boy doing a kick flip on his skateboard

Correct!
Wherever you go, there’s always a popular crowd that is in the know and knows everyone. But in reality, the “in” crowd isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. They worry about the same things you do - crushes, siblings, clothes, the next big soccer game, and even zits! Don’t worry about being in a crowd that you don’t really fit into. Instead chose friends who make you feel good about yourself, who you like, and who accept you. You should never have to fake it to fit in.

Cartoon graphic of a boy falling off his skateboard

Wrong
It’s easy to think that you have to be part of the “in” crowd to be cool - but that’s just not true! You should never have to fake it to fit in. Having friends who like you and accept you for who you are is far better than being with people who make you feel bad. And the “in” crowd isn’t all that. They’re kids just like you and they worry about the same things you do - crushes, siblings, clothes, the next big soccer game, and even zits!

 

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