By Hayleigh Brokaw
I have always wondered about the validity of the phrase “You become who you surround yourself with”. Is it really true, or just a hit at certain situations? Does this pertain to just people, or the environment you’re in, as well as your habits? Thinking about it some more, I found it to quite possibly be all of the above.
The statement on who you surround yourself with can go two different ways. It CAN affect you; you can unknowingly pick up on their habits, mannerisms, attitudes, and beliefs without even realizing it until it is happening or pointed out. In other situations, you can place yourself in certain groups with the hopes of willingly picking up on their characteristics, for whatever the desired reason is. The most important lesson to take from both of these scenarios is: is this the best place for me? While there are many positives attributed to the great friends, family, coworkers etc. that you surround yourself with, it is also incredibly important to be able to recognize and possibly eliminate the negative for your own wellbeing.
The same goes for the environments that you are in. This may not seem as evident as some may think– usual hangouts or normally occurring places may have more of a profound effect on you than you think. If these places bring a source of negativity or unhappiness to you, it is just the same as how it pertains to the people you are surrounded with.
In regard to habits, these can go unnoticed for a while, good and bad. Sometimes one does not have time to pick up on the negative habits until it is too late, or you can really see the progress from the positive ones. If the negative habits are traceable, they are easier to stop, and align with the habits you truly want and need to form. This can come in the form of how you talk about yourself or other people, how you dress, enunciate yourself, and see your future how others do, instead of how you might have at one point.
In final, surroundings can have the desired affects you want– it is up to you to maintain them. However, sometimes the best sources of knowledge and learning can come from places and people you least expect. Whether it is family, friends, roommates, coworkers, professors, fellow members of an RSO, or a class, it is wise to always be in tune with what aligns with your goals and ambitions; but it never hurts to pay attention to what other people and places can teach you.