Girls are Under More Pressure in High Schools

Girls face more peer pressure than boys. High school has a new level of pressure for teen girls. Some of the issues are the same that they have battled in the fifth to eighth grade and this is carried till the high school with more gravity.

The years spent in high school are critical as a person works through puberty and prepares for adulthood. But a lot of girls feel peer pressure that beyond their high school experience, far more so than boys. Under the weight of these pressures, which include everything from peer pressure and society standards to academic expectations, their mental health, self-esteem, and general wellness can suffer considerably. Making high schools a more friendly and supportive environment for girls requires an awareness of and response to these influences.

High School Girl Problems

High school can be seen as a bridge that leads to adulthood. The teen girls going to school get overwhelmed with the pressure such as to not only look good but also to gain the approval of others. Most of the time face numerous challenges such as preparing for college and a future career too.

Here we are going to discuss 5 worries that any high school girl would have:

Looking good

This one is the most prominent area of concern for high school teen girls; they care more about their appearance. They worry about how they look and want to be thin. High school girls often struggle to feel secure in their skin and thus they spend much of their time and energy trying to look perfect. They focus on every detail of their appearance and most importantly, their figure. They always compare themselves to other girls and try to keep up with the fashion trends.

This can sometimes be very discouraging for many teen girls as they focus more on their appearance. They feel conscious about their looks and weight and it can become an obsession for many that might result in severe eating disorders.

Friendship is the priority for our teens. Girls do spend time on their appearance and if they are not doing that then you can find them on their phones connecting with their friends virtually on social media or planning meet-ups. They think more about the number of friends that are trusted and are in the right social circle. They want to be in constant contact with their peers as they fear ‘missing out. Their priority becomes that their peers accept and like them. Along with their appearance, their emotional security and self-esteem associate with relationships. The social circle of high school would be a more mature one than that of middle school.

Performance

High school teen girls inspect everything they do in each area of their lives. They become their own worst critic and put more pressure on meeting expectations. They are more likely to get worried about their performance with anything they are involved in be it their studies, athletics, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, employment, or social events.

High school girls can be seen more worried about how they can improve and for them; they themselves set unrealistic expectations that become difficult to meet. Most of the high school girls feel harsh pressure to be the best. And when they do not meet the extreme demands that they have set for themselves, they might suffer the consequences of discouragement and feelings of failure.

Parental Approval

High school teen girls also get more worried about their parent's opinions. Some girls might pretend that they do not care much about what their parents think but deep down they are concerned about getting their mom and dad’s approval. They want to be loved and accepted by their parents and are worried that they don’t let them down, or worse, fail them. For some girls, the extreme criticisms and demands from their parents can cause them to fall apart. They are concerned for every word their parents say and are also sensitive to how their parents respond to things they do. Almost every high school girl wants to please her parents and make them proud.

The Ways That Girls Face More Peer Pressure Than Boys

Academic Performance: Girls frequently feel under a lot of pressure to do well academically in order to meet the expectations of their parents and the society.

Extracurricular Overload: Girls who participate in too many extracurricular activities on top of their academic obligations risk burnout and too hectic schedules.

Body Image and Appearance: Fears and maybe eating problems are stoked by the close scrutiny of girls' physical appearances that is exacerbated by peer pressure, the media, and social beauty standards.

Social Media Impact: Constantly being exposed to highly maintained and flawless lives on social media platforms might cause unrealistic expectations and a distorted sense of reality.

Peer pressure: Girls who feel pressured to fit in and adhere to society norms may do things or things they are uncomfortable with.

Gender Stereotypes: Social conventions regarding the duties and behaviours of girls are maintained by gender stereotypes that date back a long time.

Dating and connections: Many girls find that the pressures of maintaining love connections, together with social expectations and the potential for abuse or harassment, are too much.

Mental Health: Many often, the stigma associated with mental health issues prevents girls from receiving the support and services they require.

Expectations from Families: Girls face more peer pressure than boys because they may have much more pressures coming from the expectations of their families or cultures concerning their performance in school, their job or lack of it, or adherence to conventional gender roles.

Bullying and Harassment: Boys target girls for bullying and harassment, and this has severe repercussions on the girls’ psyche and their perception of themselves.

Juggling obligations: Many girls face more peer pressure than boys because of balancing in class and academic performance while working, taking care of their families, and cleaning the house.

Safety Issues: Since cases of sexual harassment, sexual assault, or safety issues are prevalent, girls might feel anxious and scared when in school settings.

Identity Discovery: It can be difficult to discover one’s gender, sexual orientation, and personal values when in high school.

Future Planning: Choosing between work plans, universities and further dreams might be a bit problematic when one has no much to spend and society pulls.

Intersectional Challenges: It has been identified that girls from marginalized groups such as because of colour, ethnicity or socio-economic status, and other multiple intersections feel more pressure.

Recommendations to Schools That Demand a Lot out Of Female Students

• Promote Comprehensive Education: Give the girls the tools they require to deal with such expectations through education on mental health, relationships, gender balance, and acceptance of one’s body.
• Counselling Services: Ensure students may consult, get assistance from mental health care providers, group and counseling services.
• Encourage Extracurricular Balance: Support the female students to engage in co-curricular activities suitable for them, use their strengths, but first of all maintain a good work-life balance.
• Foster Respectful, Diverse School Cultures: Launch policies and programs that develop right fundamentals for every child and ensure that they feel protected.
• Include Parents and Carers: Provide them with the necessary means that will help them to represent the welfare of their daughters and start the conversation regarding the problems that girls encounter.
• Establishment of Mentorship initiatives: Implement programs to introduce females to positive and inspiring persons, and women’s role models.
• Empower by Self-Confidence Development: Include such events as workshops, seminars, or other interventions that are dealing with girls issues, with the focus on self-confidence and assertiveness training as well as teaching constructive ways of dealing with stress.
• Honour Diverse Representations: Surprisingly, by backing various successful women in numerous domains, you might challenge the misconceptions and broaden girls’ outlooks.
• Girls Career Exploration Opportunities: Through internships, career exploration classes, and clarification of career options, offer the girls a chance to know themselves and their potentials.
• Collaboration: Have proper collaboration with the organisations incorporating in the community, non-government organizations, and individuals who fight for the rights of girls and support them.
• Teach Employees and Teachers: While it does not aim to solve the problems experienced by girls, it may help to raise awareness and alertness on these issues by providing constant education on how such challenges can be identified and addressed.
• Facilitate Straight Talk: Ensure the girls feel safe to bring these issues to your attention, tell you or others some of the things that happened to them or they saw, and ask questions or get advice.
• Promote Positive Role Models: Encourage positive portrayals of women who confront social norms and how the girls can be fearless to chase their dreams within the school as well as the society at large.

Establishing Complete Support Systems

We have noticed that girls face more peer pressure than boys. Hence, meeting the challenges that female students face in high schools calls for creating extensive networks of support that encompass many spheres of a female’s existence. These networks of support should be in a position to address the needs and the problems that females in the school community experience.

One wise action is to open a resource centre or counselling office only for females. Besides administrative and clinical therapeutic services, counselling, and support, this place could be a home, an avenue where the tough situations they face in life are explained, and dealt with. While improving on the coping strategies, their levels of self-esteem, and the challenges resulting from high school, girls get a likelihood to interact with the licenced counsellors/mentors.

Schools could also look around for the local organisations and associations supporting and encouraging the feminine gender. These alliances can expand the kind of support services offered within school environments with the help of a combination of funds, knowledge, and programmes. Organizing workshops, host activities, and inviting guest speakers, to focus on subjects like leadership, stress, and body positivity might also help to create a happy and supportive atmosphere.

It is also important that parents and other carers are engaged in the attempts to prevent what pressures girls are under. Thus, families can have all the necessary information and means for providing the successful support of the daughter if families have regular contacts and receive the information on the possible difficulties that their daughters may experience. Such responsibilities can be easier for girls who have good networks within the home and the academe in order to have more confidence and ability to handle such responsibilities.

The Future

High school teen girls might seem more worried about their appearance and friends but they are also concerned about their future plans such as their college choice, career choices, and starting a family too. High school has now become a huge landscape. Every decision the girls are going to make can have an impact on their future. High school girls are aware of the demands that are there for them. They are worried about getting accepted into college and choosing the right career and gain the best internship and also they are worried about how they are going to pay for it all. They understand the expectations, competition, and limitations.

High school girls do worry much and thus they are under more pressure than boys. They are more impacted by society’s values and the pressure of their peers. They get influenced by high academic standards, future, and approval and belonging.

Nowadays, it is tough to be a high school girl. Parents must tune into their needs, insecurities, and worries, and encourage them. We must help our growing girls so they can develop self-worth and confidence in who they are and all they can be.

Final Words

Eradicating challenges that girls undergo in high school is a noble task that could only be done in cooperation with planning. Girls at this age can thus be empowered and shown more compassion if proper support systems are developed while embracing the needs of everyone and encouraging dialogue. Thus, we may open the path to the day when girl will follow no social rules and restrictions to grow and develop to their fullest potential.

In the end, addressing the expectations girls have in high school asks for a comprehensive approach that prioritises their overall wellness.  Schools can create a supportive and empowering environment where girls may thrive, realise their potential, and overcome challenges at this critical time of their lives.

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