College Peer Pressure

"So do not be associated with them."
-Ephesians 5:7

With a number of my former students heading off to college for the first time this month, this quote caught my attention. I don't know how many of them are considered followers of this blog, so hopefully they don't need to be told this, but a lot of smart kids do dumb things in college trying to fit in with kids dumber than they are because of peer pressure. Now I like to belong, maybe not as much as the next guy, but at some level I like to fit in with those around me. However, I've been fortunate to go to school and work in places with like-minded individuals and didn't have to try to fit in with those whose short-term priorities didn't mesh with my long-term priorities. Before leaving my high school summer job as a janitor, my boss's advice to us was don't be afraid to be a nerd in college. I told him that shouldn't be a problem. I found a few other "nerds" freshmen year, who were with me all four years as we saw the others disappear after first semester or freshmen year. Even today, I tend to associate with like-minded people who "pressure" me to be my best and let the others do their own thing if they don't want to join us. So whether you are starting college or somewhere else on your journey, I hope those you call friends are making you better.