People these days, especially teenagers, hold themselves to the standards advertised by society. Everywhere you look, there are stereotypes and images of what a person should be, according to society. There are many groups that offer these easy-to-fit standards, but school isn't the only place where pressure to fit in is impacted. You can be discovered through your efforts to blend in, thus causing yourself a lot of trouble as you try to get through high school without a couple of bruises. This generation's high school lifestyle incorporates many different cliques and niches. With these cliques come many labels. The words “athlete,” “nerd,” or “coach” may come to mind. Everyone has the expectation of finding a place to fit in in high school. What happens to those who don't? They seem to be in an empty category, as if they aren't even there or forgotten. They receive the label of an outcast. Shane Koyczan observes the way one can be labeled through one's experiences: “We were expected to define ourselves at such an early age, and if we didn't, others did for us. Weird guy. Fatty… I was told to accept the identity that others will give me” (Koyczan). We are not in complete control of who we are perceived as. The peers around you decide who they think you are based on your appearance or your grades, but forget to look at what's inside. It's all a categorization process in which you have to try to blend in so as not to risk being excluded. Pressures outside of school itself are also very evident in the lives of adolescents. These other influences on their behavior may influence how well they adapt or how much effort they make to do so. It is not always easy for teenagers to find the balance and…… middle of paper…… taking a stand in favor of their peers, they would feel more accepted. It is important to stand up to a bully without becoming a bully himself. The fear of not being accepted by the association seems to prevent others from reaching out to their victims of bullying or “outcasts”. Common courtesy has been repeated constantly to our generation, no one wants to flaunt it if it puts their reputation at risk. The teenage phase can be a questionable period in one's life. You're stuck between adulthood and childhood and still expected to decide who you are somewhere along the way. Other factors in life can make this self-discovery very difficult; you are surrounded by other peers who are also trying to blend in at high school to avoid being spotted. Adolescence is a simple struggle to fit into the puzzle held together by society and its standards.