Flashback to middle school, remember those days? All the different styles, different clubs, different languages; it was certainly an interesting phase in everyone's life. Flashback even further in time to elementary school. Again, a time in life where there are very memorable instances. With each of these parts of life, we all thought that some things would just be phases. But the one thing we all thought would be just another phase turned out not to be. You know that one thing that everyone hated all throughout school? From elementary school, through middle school, to high school, and apparently even in college. You know what I'm talking about, the mean people who just don't go away.

Oh they're just jealous, or maybe they have a background you don't know about. Well that may be the case in the younger years, but progress through life and that can't be the excuse anymore. There are always going to be those people who feel the need to talk. Whether it pertains to them or not, they have an opinion and they will voice it, don't you doubt that. That boy who pushed you around in elementary school, the girls who snickered at you in middle school, the people who talked behind your back and left you out at every possible thing, they never end. Those people may grow up and become better people, but there will always be another person to fill there shoes.

My mother always said if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. Where were there mothers or fathers to tell them that? The worse part is that these people who participate in such acts of hate don't even care that they are. They know you will hear or see, and it doesn't phase them. Since when did being two faced or sinister become an evident trait? You think that as you get into college people will grow up, everyone will accept everyone for who they are and just leave it at that. Well here I am squashing your dreams because that's not the case. Of course everyone has opinions and judgements about everybody they meet, but its what you do with those that matter.

I hate to use the word bully because that seems so second grade. But the sad thing is, there are bullies everywhere in every corner of the Earth. It doesn't matter how many good people there are out there, how many good acts are being done, it will never outnumber or affect those who need it. No matter how many things you try to do to stop the mean people out there, it won't matter. Because people are people and they will do as they please. The best you can do is just take their talk in stride, and know that you are above it. People will talk, people will be mean, but there is nothing you can do about it. Some change, but not unless they want to. But know that you are in control, you have choices. You can stand up for yourself, or you can also realize it isn't worth your time or effort. Whatever you do, even if you don't feel better, you will be, because you are the bigger person and can rise above people that try to take you down.