If someone tells you that there are chickens falling out of the sky are you just going to believe them without questioning it or are you going to go outside, look up at the sky, and make that decision for yourself? Im going to guess that many people would want to witness something like that for themselves. So if you wouldn't believe someone telling you something like that without doing the research about it yourself then why would you listen to someone telling you to believe in a certain religion, political party, rumor, or lie without forming your own opinions first?

Being skeptical is actually a good thing. You should want to know as much as possible about a subject before you fully commit to being a part of it. An example of this would be choosing what religion you believe in, if you believe at all. You shouldn't believe in a religion simply because your parents told you to, or you were raised in a certain church. I am in no way saying that you should abandon your faith, I am just suggesting that you form your own opinions about that belief before fully committing to it. You should research whatever religion it may be that you are interested in and learn as much about it as you can. Don't be afraid to look into other religions too, it wont make you a bad person for doing so. There is nothing wrong with being curious and validating your beliefs. In the end this will actually make your faith a lot stronger if you choose to have any because you have chosen it yourself, and made that decision for yourself without letting anyone influence it. Do your research, know your facts, and be able to defend your belief if other people question it; Only then you should choose what to believe.

Another example would be what political party you identify with, or who you are voting for. This election, being my first to vote in, I have jumped head first into learning everything I can about the candidates. I think that everyone should do the same before choosing who to vote for. So many of my close friends are voting for the candidate that their parents have told them to vote for and identify with the political party that they were raised hearing about. I too was thinking of doing the same but when I actually sat down and looked into what each person stood for, and matched them with my personal desires for the country I realized that I wanted someone completely different than them. This doesn't mean that I think my parents or anyone who supports someone different than me is dumb, and I definitely will not disrespect the fact that we support different things in different ways. This is a huge thing to remember when you begin to form your own opinions.

I am a firm believer in the fact that everyone should make their own decisions about their beliefs and views on how they want to live their lives. I also believe in equality and respecting everyone regardless of what they believe. No one has a right to tell someone that they are wrong for supporting a certain cause, believing in a certain religion, or following a certain political party.

You should never base your opinions off of other peoples and you shouldn't be afraid to express your own opinions either. Just because someone in your life believes in something doesn't mean you have to as well. You should want to create your own identity, not take on someone else's. If you do your research on whatever subject you're questioning and you find that your ideals line up with other people's in your lives then by all means, immerse yourself in it. But don't be afraid to say, "Hey, I don't believe in the same things you do and thats okay. You should respect my beliefs just like I respect yours."

This logic can be carried over to literally everything in your life. From something as simple as if you like chocolate or not (but c'mon who doesn't?), or something as huge as religion or politics. This is a pivotal time in my life, being a college student, when I really begin to create my own identity and lay the foundations for the rest of my life so questioning things and “finding myself” is very relevant to me. I am sure many of the readers are in the exact same position. Questioning things is a healthy mental process to go through and I encourage everyone to do so.

Remember: The beautiful thing about the world is that everyone in it is unique.