We all hate drama.

Just the very word causes me to cringe. Drama is inevitable for most people, especially in college, where we spend most of our time together: in class, in the student center, library or common rooms.

But this article is not about why people do what they do, because chances are such reasons don't exist. When dealing with drama and petty gossip, we spend our time seething with anger and sadness when we should be focused on getting out of our hiding spots, running right into what scares us most.

Because here's the truth about people: they don't want to see you succeed.

They want to see that their harassment and hurtful actions are working and affecting you. They want to see that you hide in your room in fear, they want to see that when you do leave, you're an emotional wreck with nobody by your side. And maybe that's how you'll cope with the drama. We all cope in different ways and possess different personalities.

But getting back out there, walking with a group of your new friends, having a fun time without their actions or words affecting you — that's strength. So when you get knocked off your feet, and you feel defeated or feel like giving up, get back up. Not because you necessarily want to, not because we have someone helping us up (even though that's definitely a good thing to have). You get up because you owe it to yourself to not let anybody have such an impact on you. You get up because you have to force yourself to deal with the people head-on, showing them with each step that you're succeeding in life.

Yes, drama is debilitating, any negative intentions against us can destroy us, but it doesn't define us, what defines us is how we deal with it.