The High Life
In high school peer pressure is stronger then ever. Students are critically judged by their peers and are forced to either compromise one’s own moral values to fit into the group or face being ostracized and out casted. Students sometimes feel backed against a wall and following the group is sometimes easier than going against the grain. It all started a few years ago on a blistering summer day towards the end of the school year. Class was, like usual, long, boring and unbelievably tiresome. All day long I had been thanking God, more than usual, that it was Friday; earlier that day I ran it an old friend, Deiondre Howard, we made plans to hangout; he said he wanted to introduce me to a few friends and chill with a few girls. So with the possibility of meeting and flirting with a couple hot girls, I droned through last period, counting the seconds go by on my English teacher’s old handmade wooden clock. Suddenly the bell rings, I sighed with instant relief, “Finally”. I darted out of class like a bat out of hell, excited, I immediately ran into the jam packed grid-lock traffic of Bayside High School’s hallways. As I pushed, shoved, and fought my way through the human blockade I slowly but surely made it closer to the courtyard. Bayside’s courtyard is like a crucible filled with every type of spice you could imagine mixed together. With that said, like any other high school, Bayside still had its moments of segregation based on popularity. For instance, there’s a tall oak tree in the far left corner of the yard where the socially awkward students usually congregate. Then there’s a section in the middle of the court where the somewhat popular kids congregate. Finally, there’s another smaller section where the jocks, cheerleaders, and stoners chill and meet up after class. Now I know you’re probably asking yourself where I am among these groups, well