As I continued learning about D.A.R.E., I concluded that friendship, and pressures (peer pressures and self pressure) are somewhat connected. Pressures can be caused by friends or other people. Sometimes, when someone pressures you to do something (peer pressure), and you want to be their friend, you don't really know what to do. If you want to be friends with someone who offers you drugs, you should just say "no", and respect them. If they want to be your friend, they should also respect your decision. If some stranger offers you drug and uses peer pressure on you, just say no, and hang out with other friends who don't take drugs. This way, you're with people that are just like you, and you can stay fit and healthy. Some types of peer pressures are: positive peer pressure (when someone urges you to do something that's good for you), friendly peer pressure (when someone who is your friend tries to get you to do something you may or may not want to do), indirect/tempting (when someone tries to persuade or convince you to do something you do not want to do), teasing (when someone makes fun of you to try to get you to do something you do not want to do), and Heavy peer pressure/bullying (when someone threatens you, physically or verbally in an attempt to get you to do something you do not want to do). Self pressure, or personal pressure is a situation in which you pressure yourself and not others. No one pressures or offer you to do something that you do not want to do. Kids who are self pressured wonder what drugs taste like. They want to do things that might or might not be good for them, but don't know what to do. It's your decision to decide things that makes you curious. Either way, it might be bad for you and might change your life. Peer pressure an self pressure have something in common, and that's pressuring you to do something you may or may not want to do.
As I sat in a room in 5th grade, I remember learning a type of violence: bullying. I learned that bullying will always be in your life whether you're at school, work, on the streets, of even in your own home. Bullying is a repeated behavior by one or more people that intends to harm others and make a person feel bad on purpose. There are many types of bullying. Some are: verbal (name calling), physical (punching, pushing), social (leaving someone out of a group on purpose), extortion (stealing someone's money or belongings), and cyber-bullying (using computers, the Internet, and cell phones to bully others). However, verbal bullying happens more than any other kinds of bullying. many people winders why people are bullies. The answer is quite simple really. It's because they are unhappy inside for some reason or don't know how to get along with other kids. Bullying is an assertion of power through aggression, and forms change if age change (school, gang attacks, child abuse, elder abuse). Bullying is not about anger, but a contempt-a feeling of hate toward someone who is thought to be worthless, inferior, of doesn't deserve respect. Still, bullying hurts everyone, for victims get their feelings hurt or injured by bullies. Kids who are watching a bully pick on someone else feel sad or scared (FYI: 85% of the time kids are watching a person bully another person. Adults hardly see a bully being mean to others). With bullying, people often mix myths and facts together. Here are some examples:
Myth: if I tell someone it will make things worse.
Fact: Research show that bullying stops when adults and peers get involve.
Myth: Just stand up for yourself and hit them back.
Fact: There are times when people can be force to defend themselves, but hitting back makes the bullying worse and physical harm increase.
If kids are in a situation in which they see violence, they should know just what to do and why bullying happens.
All the information I learned in D.A.R.E. helped me as I grew older and went to Junior High. I learned to watch out for things that might harm me. I was able to say no to things that made me uncomfortable, or didn't want to do. I learned that drugs is bad for you, and to help others when they are in trouble or hurt. I never want others to get hurt verbally or physically; especially if they're my friends. As I observe people's acts and movement, I was able to figure out which people to stay away from, and which to be friends with. Either way, I still talk to them and try to get to know then. Also, even though I actually never saw someone bully another before, I just know what to do in that situation, and why they did that. Not everything in life is a joke, for people have reasons in which they do things. The information about violence and bullying also helped me in 7th grade computer class when we learned about bullying (it was really about cyber bulling). At least I knew something about bullying. If I was able to do things differently, I would have continues to learn more about drugs and violence after D.A.R.E. instead of laying around doing nothing. It doesn't hurt to learn more about things. Also, I wouldn't have believed that bullying will end once you get out of school. I learned later in life that bullying happens everywhere, at any time, at any age. I wouldn't have believed that bullying will never happened to me. Although I never was bullied before, everyone has a possibility of being bullied, or even become bullies themselves. if 5th graders ever asked me what worked for me in Junior High, I'll tell them to be aware of things around them because you never know what might be lurking around the corner. who knows, someone might be bullied or taking drugs. If this ever happens, you should tell an adult, and make sure you have proof. Also, if someone ask you to take drugs, just say no, and respect the person. This way, you stay healthy and fit, while also not hurting a person's feeling. To continue, if your around someone who smokes, it best to get out of that room because the smell is awful and if you actually breath it in, it taste like ashes, and you can't get the smell and taste out for a while. Also, you might be exposed to secondhand smoking, and have a possibility of dying. Plus, stay with friends that don't pressure you to do things that you don't want to do. It better to be friends with people who respect your choices, respect you, and give you space. Don't hang out with people who pressures you to do things that might hurt you, for in the end, things will come to an awful end. Last, it won't hurt to keep what you learned in D.A.R.E., for the experience will help you later in life. There will be people who might bully you and tell you to take drugs. It might not happen in Elementary School or Junior High. However, it can defiantly happen in High School. So try to stay safe always.
The experience people learned on D.A.R.E. is important. You learn things about drugs and violence that might/will led you to a better life. It helps kids get ready for the real world and years to come. Plus, it helps kids make good decisions. So please, remember your D.A.R.E. experience and never forget about them, for you never know when you need them.
