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Money, Politics and an Upper Middle Class Suburban High School
by Bethany Bowers
December 30, 2002

Money and politics form the basis of the average Upper Middle Class Suburban High School. Money has always equaled power. When it comes to judging, all that seems to matter to people is whether you have it or not. The fact is, the more money one has, the higher the chance of fitting in. Money can even be it’s own parameter in establishing cliques.

While fitting in is probably one of the biggest pressures felt by my peers, especially females, it isn’t on my list of things to deal with on a day to day basis . To some, high school is all about “status”. Conformity is what everyone is seeking. Without the right clothes, cars, or friends, it’s quite hard to establish one’s “status” in the “popular” group. On the other hand, there are those who seem to strive to be the exact opposite of a “conformist”. Some students buy into the idea of being different just to prove that they are above the pressures of fitting in. This kind of person is no less a sell-out than people who do whatever they can to prove they are part of the in-crowd. No matter where one is in the conformity spectrum, it’s all based on the same people’s standards.

Personally I don’t want to be involved in any type of ongoing struggle for acceptance. Being my own person is important to me, but being an individual in the minds of my peers isn’t. It takes a lot of strength to say no to the conformity that suffocates me, but it’s extremely satisfing when I realize that I have beaten peer pressure.

It’s hard sometimes for teenagers to find themselves and to choose between right and wrong when they are surrounded by a world of insecurities or wrong choices. I feel the pressures of day to day life in high school just like everyone else around me does. We are all struggling with our own identities and discovering what is truly important. We just all need to learn that everyone has his or her own set of problems, and there is no use in making it harder for someone else.

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