Why Saying ‘Everyone Does It’ Is One of the Biggest Myths Among Teens

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times by now. It’s that magic phrase, usually tossed around at parties or whispered through lockers, like an incantation. The implication is simple – if everyone’s doing it, it must be okay. Harmless, even.

But here’s the thing: there’s a reason why saying ‘everyone does it’ is one of the biggest myths among teens; it’s not only misleading, but it’s also a trap.

It plants this unspoken expectation that if you’re not participating, you’re missing out – and that someday, you’ll look back at your teen years with regret. And when it comes to alcohol, things tend to get a little tricky – sometimes too tricky.

Does everyone do it?

It’s easy to feel like you’re the only one not drinking when everyone around you seems to be holding a red cup at every party, but facts paint a slightly different picture. Let’s take a look at some numbers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). These aren’t the kind of stats anyone brings up at the school cafeteria table, but, you know, maybe they should be.

Underage drinking statistics: The quiet majority

In 2023, about 19.9% of youth aged 14 to 15 reported having at least one drink in their lifetime. Sounds like a lot, right? That still means 80.1% of teens in that age range haven’t had a single drink. It’s like standing in a room with ten people, and only two of them have ever sipped alcohol. That quiet majority who don’t drink doesn’t get talked about much, but they’re there.

Now, let’s consider the ages 12 to 20, where around 5.6 million teens reported drinking beyond just a few sips in the last month. That’s roughly 3.0% of all alcohol consumed in the US, a small chunk compared to adults. And yet, when teens drink, they tend to go big – 91% of youth alcohol consumption is binge drinking. A wild number, no doubt about it. However, while these facts aren’t pretty (especially that last one), they reveal something that doesn’t seem to get enough airtime: clearly, not everyone does it.

Why saying ‘everyone does it’ is one of the biggest myths among teens

Let’s break down the biggest myths among teens, piece by piece. Because if you believe that everyone does it, what seems like a harmless habit can become dangerous. And once that idea takes hold, and there’s no one to say that the emperor has no clothes, it’s easy to ignore the warning signs.

Society’s favorite substance

Alcohol is everywhere—on TV, in music, at family gatherings, and woven into cultural traditions. It’s often portrayed as a symbol of fun, relaxation, and even maturity, making it easy for teens to believe that drinking is just a normal part of growing up. The constant exposure can create the illusion that everyone is doing it, reinforcing that having a drink is no big deal.

What starts as occasional social drinking might initially seem harmless, but over time, it can turn into something more serious. A casual drink at a party can slowly become a regular habit, especially when used to cope with stress, peer pressure, or social anxiety. As tolerance builds, occasional use can escalate into dependency, affecting decision-making, academic performance, and mental health. The belief that “everyone is doing it” makes it easier for teens to take risks they wouldn’t normally consider—driving under the influence, experimenting with other substances, or making impulsive choices that have lasting consequences. Therefore, recognizing the reality behind the myth is the first step in making informed, responsible decisions about alcohol.

The logic of peer pressure

The thing about peer pressure is it’s sneaky. It doesn’t always come in loud commands – Drink this, now! – but more often, it’s that subtle feeling of being left out if you don’t join in. You’re at a party, and suddenly, that cup in your hand feels like a ticket to belonging. If you don’t drink, what will the people think?

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a powerful motivator. But the irony here? Half the people at that party probably hold that same cup because they feel like they should, too. Everyone’s looking around, thinking: well, if they’re doing it, I should, too. But what if that cycle’s based on a lie?

Pop culture’s influence on teen alcohol consumption

Now, here’s a question: when did you last watch a teen movie that didn’t have a wild party scene? Think about it – whether it’s high school drama or college comedy, there’s always that moment when someone’s passed out in a bathtub or dancing on a table with a beer in hand. It’s like pop culture has decided that teens and alcohol go hand in hand.

While these movies might aim to show real teenage experiences, they often romanticize drinking in a slightly off-putting way. While they want to reflect reality, they also create it. By constantly showing alcohol as this cool, rebellious thing teens do and have always done, they feed the myth that it’s universal.

And even if everyone were doing it…

Here’s the thing: even if the myth were true (and we know it isn’t), that still wouldn’t make it the right move. Just because many people do something doesn’t mean it’s good for you. If everyone were jumping off a cliff – wait, let’s not finish that sentence. We all know how it ends. But you get the point.

Alcohol, particularly when you’re young, can suddenly spiral into something much bigger. It starts as a way to relax or to fit in, and before you know it, it’s a crutch or a problem. The real challenge here is recognizing that alcohol isn’t as universal as it seems – and that skipping it won’t put you on the outside.

Conclusion

The myth that everyone does it is simply misleading and, above all, not on the safe side. It aims to create an artificial sense of normalcy around something that, for many teens, doesn’t even have to enter the picture. The story abruptly changes once you step back and look at the facts. It turns out that most teens are drinking every weekend, despite what you might’ve heard or seen in the latest high school dramedy.

So the next time you hear someone say that everyone’s doing it, just remember that saying ‘everyone does it’ is one of the biggest myths among teens and that it is much more than just an empty phrase. It’s a way of thinking that deserves a closer inspection. And once you do that, you might realize you’re not the only one choosing to sit this out. You’ve got a lot more company than you think.