By Rebecca Gunderson, TIWP Student

As the wise and genuine Mister Rogers once said, “You don’t have to do anything sensational for people to love you.” Be who you are and ignore anyone who expresses disapproval of your being. Grand gestures aren’t necessary to keep people in your life, nor should they be the sole reason someone stays present. If, along the way, you lose some friends who don’t get along with the “true you,” then so be it. As you thrive—free from fake people who distance themselves when you are being yourself—know that not having you as a friend, or even an acquaintance, is their loss. If you find yourself acting like a different person, with qualities you know to be wrong, around certain individuals, ask yourself, is this who I want to be? Maybe someone is a bad influence on you, or maybe you’re acting as a bad influence on someone else. Whatever the circumstances, if you don’t like what you see, know that you have the power to change it. Rid your life of drama and negativity, and just be true to yourself.