Highschool is a big transitional stage in life where we start to learn who we are as people and what we want to put out into the world. We are met with important life experiences that teach us valuable lessons about our relationships, work, and private lives. It’s a stage in life where we are not yet fully independent but have independent experiences that allow us to step into adulthood and prepare us for the real world that exists beyond the comfort of our childhood. While a big part of high school consists of studying and preparing for college or future occupations, the social connections and experiences high school brings are also incredibly valuable and is something we can reflect on as young adults. One of the most important things we must hold onto when preparing to meet the next stage in our lives is kindness and having the ability to be perceptive of those around us.  

It’s easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of life that everyone around us is going through their own routines and has their own unique feelings and life experiences they are processing. In high school, we often witness social spheres begin to form and dissipate throughout the years, and some that stay together through it all. We may have seen people be excluded or hurt by others, or we may have experienced this ourselves. At some point in everyone’s high school careers, we have experienced or witnessed the effects of drama and negativity. It is important that going forward whether in or outside of high school we use the negative experiences we’ve faced or witnessed as a drive to continue to put positivity out into the world. The way we treat people, or the way people treat us, can sometimes be overlooked, so we must try to focus on being empathetic individuals to those whom we respect and appreciate, and even to those whom we may have issues with.  

Putting everything into perspective is a good first step to living empathetically, whether at school or work, try seeing things from the perspective of the people you interact with. If you are upset with someone or have an argument, look at their side of things without judgement and try to gage a better understanding of that person. If someone is acting rude or dismissive, don’t make assumptions about that person’s feelings of you and rather build the understanding that something may be going on in that person’s life that is making them act coldly, like a loss in the family, a breakup, or maybe just a bad day. Creating a more positive outlook on others can create more positivity within yourself.  

As Henry Ford once said, “If there is any one secret to success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from their angle as well as your own.” 

Wherever you end up going in life, choose to be a positive influence on those around you. Inquire about how others are doing frequently and lend a shoulder to those who need one, see past the veil of judgement that exists in every one of us, and accept positivity and kindness within your life and choose to give it to others as well.