The beauty of going to a small college is the amount of people I know and see on a daily basis. Just walking to my classes on an average day I probably see about 30 or more people that I know and can say hi to. Saying hi to someone may seem like the simplest, smallest task ever, yet it is made into something much more complex.
Nowadays, instead of walking to class while leisurely chatting with a friend, we walk swiftly to class, headphones in and our eyes glued to our phone screens. I'm guilty of always having headphones in, I will admit. However, I do not keep my eyes glued to my phone screen. My friends make fun of me because they say I am "too friendly." I wave to pretty much everyone I know when I walk around campus, even if I have only met them once. So yeah, I like to say hi to people, or wave to people or smile at people. But is that so wrong? Why not just say hi?
Something as simple as a "hi" is so overthought. You might see someone that you met the night before and think to yourself, "Do I say hi? Will they say hi back? Do they know who I am? Oh God. I shouldn't say hi. They're not going to know who I am. That would be so awkward. I'll just stare at my phone and pretend not to see them." No matter who it is—a familiar face from class, someone you have met once, someone you used to be closer with, someone from your dorm, that one guy/girl you made out with at a party once—just say hi.
You might think it's awkward if you give them a little wave or a "hey," but what's even more awkward is you acting like you didn't see them, and staring down at your phone pretending like you are responding to a text. Everyone knows that move — let's be real. I've even done it before, so I guarantee you have. Maybe you're even a repeat offender. Don't do it. Just say hi.
I'm not saying that you should be overly friendly because the line between creepy and friendly is a very thin. You probably shouldn't say hi to someone you just friended on Facebook but have never talked to in person. That would be weird. I'm just saying that you should say hi to those you do know. The familiar faces. Just say hi.
Not just because it would be awkward if you didn't say hi, but also because it could make someone's day if you did. You never know what people are going through. You never know who's having a good day, and who's pretending to have a good one. Saying hi and smiling at someone could make their day just that much better. That's why I always say hi. So, don't overthink it — just say hi.
