I’ve done it. You’ve done it. Your teachers have done it. Even your grandma has done it.

That’s right, you guessed it: gossip. In high school a lot of gossip goes around, sometimes innocent and sometimes hurtful. But no matter what the gossip is, what people say is a reflection of themselves. Gossiping is normal, but it can also be really hurtful.

It’s ironic that gossip gets such a bad reputation when we literally have all done it at some time or another. After all, we’re all human, and whenever humans spend a lot of time around each other, it’s easier to sometimes become frustrated with one another.

Another part of being human is sharing this frustration with others, which is why you complain to your best friend about that girl that sits behind you in English and pops her gum every five minutes. But you would never tell that same girl’s best friend how irritated you are, because you don’t actually want that girl to know you would like to to stick your hand in her mouth and yank her gum out–you just need to share your frustration with someone.

However there’s a difference between seemingly harmless gossip like this and just saying terrible things about people. These little communications become a whole lot more violent when you consider the horrible rumors we hear about our peers. If you hear a nasty rumor about that girl who just asked your friend to Turnabout even though he totally liked you first and you were, like, so going to ask him, you’re a lot more likely to feel inclined to spread that rumor.

People hurt each other, in high school and out of high school, and spreading rumors is a really good weapon to use when fighting back. But no matter how bad somebody hurts you, saying awful things about them behind their back will never make you feel better.

I think the best way to handle feelings of anger or hurt is to express them to someone you trust and who won’t use the information you distribute maliciously. A lot of us know what it feels like to show up to school hearing something about yourself that’s just not true, and it’s not a very good feeling.

Words hurt. They just do.

However the reality is that there will be times when you can try your hardest to prevent rumors, and there will still be people that like to talk. The craziest part of malicious gossip is that no matter what people say, true or not, it is always a reflection of themselves. Happy, confident people don’t say terrible things about other people. Ultimately, all gossip does is make the gossiper look bad, not the person being gossiped about.

It’s important to know how to be okay with not everyone liking you. You can be the sweetest, most polite person, and there will still be somebody who doesn’t like people that are “too nice”. You’ll have critics whether you be yourself or not, so why not do yourself a favor and just be you?

So let’s try and it keep it classy this year, South. Be patient and kind with one another. And, in the famous words of Kevin G, don’t let the haters stop you from doin’ your thang.