My seventh grade science teacher was notorious for her not-so-normal antics. She had this wooden yardstick, painted and worn from years of use, which she always brought out when she wanted to make a point. “The only constant in the world is -- change!” She would yell as she smacked the yardstick against the table. This simple statement soon became one of her common catchphrases.

I was never particularly a fan of change. I like routine, commonality. Judging by my unchanging Chipotle order (chicken burrito, brown rice, no beans, fajita vegetables, pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream) and my habit of overthinking, spontaneity has not been one of my strong suits.

But, as cliched as it sounds, change is good. Change is necessary. We can’t just rely on the familiar. And when I say “we,” I’m not just talking each of us individually. Society has also been resistant to change in the past. I mean, look at our recent shootings, our divided political parties, our sexism and violence. We have politicians in power who are meant to protect and serve us, but they still often don't act on making a difference.

You know it’s time for a change when there are people who are ashamed of who they are just because of who they love. Or when those same people can get fired from their jobs because of their sexuality.

You know it’s time for a change when alcohol is considered a justification for sexual assault. Or when someone is afraid to walk home alone at night because they think they’ll become just another sample of the 1 in 5 statistic.

Change can be tough, especially at a societal level, but we can start small. We can change our actions, our outlook. We can speak up about what’s wrong, become well-informed on the issues. We can vote in our local elections, advocate for a cause.

Why settle for the same-old, same-old? Change needs to happen and we need to prompt it. Let's not wait for another tragedy to happen for us to recognize that something needs to be done.