activity 6
Look at what the girls are saying and doing in the scenario below. Then, proceed to Page 7.
Imagine yourself in the two hypothetical situations you’ll see on the next screens. Read each one and then discuss the questions that follow with your group. Talk about what you think might be the consequences for the friendships, and how you might deal with the consequences if this were to happen to you.
Your friend did not do his science homework and asks if he can copy yours. He is not doing well in the class and will get detention if he does not hand in his homework. He has asked to copy your homework before, and you are tired of it. You tell him you won’t let him copy.
Proceed to page 2.
Refer back to the situation as necessary to answer these questions.
What do you think will happen?
Do you think your friend will do or say anything to you right away?
How will you deal with the immediate consequences?
Do you think your friend will act differently toward you a few weeks after the incident?
Do you think your decision will have any negative long-term effects on your friendship?
Proceed to page 3.
Your best friend has started smoking because her older sister does. You’re at their house after school, and they are smoking with some other friends. You ask for a cigarette because you think it will make you fit in. You hate it. The next two times you hang out, they offer you cigarettes, but you say "no."
Proceed to page 4.
Refer back to the situation as necessary to answer these questions.
What do you think will happen?
Do you think your friends will act differently toward you for not smoking? Why or why not?
If they do act differently, how will you deal with it?
Why is it more important to do what you think feels right than to do something just to go along with a group?
Proceed to page 5.
Sometimes we think the outcome of doing something difficult, like saying "no" to our friends, is going to be worse than it is. Chances are that your friends will respect you more for standing up for what you believe in and doing what’s right for you than for just going along with them for the sake of wanting to be the same. It might just be a matter of how you look at the situation and how you approach it.
Proceed to Page 6.
Look at what the girls are saying and doing in the scenario below. Then, proceed to Page 7.
Look at the questions in the bubbles. Then, type in your responses.
What do you think Jody should do? Why? Type your response below.
Do you think her friends will really tell her that she can't hang out with them if she does not smoke?
How can she tell her friends that she does not want to smoke?
If they do tell her that they don't want her around, what does that say about their friendship?
Now, look back at your responses. Then think about this: it's more important not to do something you don't like than to be accepted in your peer group.