Laurie faces a challenge to go against the norm, how does she deal with this

Laurie is appalled by the way the student body embraces the Wave and allows it to take over their lives.

"I can't believe how crazy this has gotten. The Wave is taking over everything" (Chater 12).

After seeing her friend Brian in a fight, she ends up breaking up with her boyfriend (David), losing her friends, and hiding out in the school newspaper office in or to avoid the Pep Rally. Carl and Alex have the same idea, and while in hiding they decide that they need to write an article exposing what's happening in their school.

Afterwards, Laurie speaks with her parents who get on board immediately (telling her to be careful), and then she goes to the football game where things have gotten even further out of hand and her refusal to comply with the "wave" salute earns her a 'watch your back."

As this is a short answer forum, I'll stop there. Laurie challenges the Wave by refusing to comply. She alienates herself from her friends, but she also forges a deeper family bond with her parents, particularly her mother. She addresses the issue with tact, maturity and tenacity. Laurie does not back down from her beliefs, and she continues to exhibit her intelligence, self-confidence, and strong sense of self throughout.