Have you ever sat with your friends and realized that you are almost in sync with each other? You have the same humor, you respond the same, think similarly. It is widely said you are highly influenced by the people around you, that’s why it’s crucial you choose your company wisely. It is also said that married couples start to look alike the longer they spend time together, showing that with time their personalities and habits start to become one. This can also be seen in school, with your friend group and the people you sit with. Your friends influence even the smallest things in your life.
When I was younger, in lower school I remember a few teachers used to intentionally pair up calmer, quieter students with students who were hyperactive or talkative. This would be a technique they would use in order to control the chaos in a classroom. They expected and hoped that the calmer student would be a positive influence on the other one, making them more focused. Yet, I knew that this wouldn’t make a large difference in one’s attitude or personality, and that this same scenario could lead to the quieter student being influenced by the other student, turning them both talkative and chaotic.
Now that I’m in high school, it’s easier for me to understand the idea of how much you get influenced/affected by the people around you. Students are oftentimes told to surround themselves with people who achieve good grades. Some teachers pair up high-achieving students with struggling ones, hoping that both the students would excel in their academics. One by helping the other and the other by learning from them. This may also be a reason why study groups are recommended for many students. This may be done in order to motivate students, make them work together, solve problems and excel in their academics. However, this could also lead the students to get pressured to keep up or fall behind, they may burn out trying to match the other’s pace. It also depends on the individual and how they choose to respond to the people around them.
It’s important to realize that not everyone but the people we spend the most time with – your friends, study partners, family, can influence us a lot. It’s easy and may be selfish for you or others around you to judge others, as good or bad influences. It isn’t always obvious, and your initial perspective may be wrong. So, how you respond to others matters, how you act around them, do you change for better or worse. It also depends on an individual’s mindset and how they respond to these changes. Ultimately, the people you spend time with are important, because whether you notice it or not, they are quietly shaping who you become.
