It's difficult to determine when we should trust our first impressions of a person and when we should set them aside to give whoever it is we just met a better chance to show us who they truly are.

Personally, I've learned that offering up second chances, while still listening to my gut instinct works best in terms of choosing who to put the effort into getting to know.

I could name countless times when I formed an idea of who someone is based on our first encounter, to later be surprised by who they truly are.

Part of this is due to improper snap judgements we tend to make when we first meet others. We formulate ideas of the qualities we want in a friend or relationship, and when someone doesn't meet every single item on our checklist, we often notice their shortcomings instead.

For this such reason, I have begun to go into new experiences with little expectations.

I'm not saying I don't hold basic guidelines for how I wish to be treated, as I do have self-respect and know that we are who we spend most of our time with.

I am saying that I don't paint a picture of exactly how I expect an individual to act within seconds of a first glance.

I understand we are all human and sometimes anxiety and nerves drive our interactions, commonly first interactions.

I understand that I definitely come off as awkward at first, and would like a second chance to show that I am actually in fact a social person with redeeming qualities. So, I think about that every time I get the wrong vibes from a potential new acquaintance.

I've pegged people as uncaring to learn they have the biggest hearts. I've considered others to be less than intelligent when in fact they harbor a spark of brilliance.

It would be dishonest to say I don't make snap judgements. We all do, it's easy, it's instinctual.

What we need to do after we make our snap judgments is to consciously consider where they came from and why they were formed.

We can often trust our instincts though, and if someone set us off in a way we can't even explain, then maybe there is something off and we should move on to other company.

We've all had that gut feeling that something isn't quite right, and some people give off such a feeling. Trust your gut, but not always your judgements.

If your first impression is that she's not very nice, think about why. Did she look like your stereotypical mean girl? If so, give her another chance.

Or did she fail to use basic manners and treat you with respect? Your gut is probably right in that case and you might be best moving on.

If your first impression is that he's not very smart, consider the cause. Did he say one not-so-bright thing? Don't we all? Give him the benefit of the doubt.

Or after knowing him for a while has he had countless lapses in judgements? A string of evidence doesn't lie and then it may be appropriate to confirm your idea of who the person is.

Some of my best friends are people that I didn't quite like at first. Maybe it was due to meeting at the wrong time or unusual circumstances on our first interaction, or perhaps I was judging too hard at the time because I wasn't trying to make friends in that exact moment.

I advocate for second chances because I've been given many. Without another opportunity to prove myself, I may end up with a smaller circle due to my anxiousness surrounding meeting new people. I adjust relatively quickly and find comfort fast, but I've had people form the wrong first impression of me countless times.

Let's remember that we want people to refrain from giving up on us right away and in turn do the same for them.