The Wall Flower Experiment
Wall Flowers.
"What are these "wall flowers" you speak of, Hannah?", you may ask me. Wall flowers are those people in the back round you never truly see or notice. They're the people that may be shy, or home schooled or maybe a little "weird" as your mind might categorize them. They're the people no one finds the need to talk to because, to us, they may seem too "uncool" for us.
I'm writing this to tell you they're not.
Wall flowers are not like that at all. Sure, we might be shy or home schooled, but that doesn't make us any less of a person, right? Just because we don't have a million friends surrounding us or are talking all the time, doesn't mean we aren't humans.
Today I had the opportunity to go to a math class at my local high school and become the wallflower for the hour. I watched as one person went out of her way to talk to me, and I'm grateful for that. But I also had the opportunity to watch as people criticized me for sitting alone and staying quiet. I watched as jocks flirted with the preppy girls, and I watched as no one but that single girl went out of their way to make me feel welcome.
It was a very interesting social experiment. I found that it's even kind of depressing. The point of this article isn't to just share how I had a lonely day at school. No. The point of this is to make you aware of how our influence can affect others around us. That one girl made a difference in my day. Can you make a difference in someone's day as well?
My challenge to you is to try. Go out of your way and talk to someone you may have seen in the hall the other day and talk to them. Maybe they're sitting alone. Maybe they just look like they need a friend. Whatever the circumstance is just do it. It may not make a huge difference in your life but it might in theirs.
Take a chance.
"What are these "wall flowers" you speak of, Hannah?", you may ask me. Wall flowers are those people in the back round you never truly see or notice. They're the people that may be shy, or home schooled or maybe a little "weird" as your mind might categorize them. They're the people no one finds the need to talk to because, to us, they may seem too "uncool" for us.
I'm writing this to tell you they're not.
Wall flowers are not like that at all. Sure, we might be shy or home schooled, but that doesn't make us any less of a person, right? Just because we don't have a million friends surrounding us or are talking all the time, doesn't mean we aren't humans.
Today I had the opportunity to go to a math class at my local high school and become the wallflower for the hour. I watched as one person went out of her way to talk to me, and I'm grateful for that. But I also had the opportunity to watch as people criticized me for sitting alone and staying quiet. I watched as jocks flirted with the preppy girls, and I watched as no one but that single girl went out of their way to make me feel welcome.
It was a very interesting social experiment. I found that it's even kind of depressing. The point of this article isn't to just share how I had a lonely day at school. No. The point of this is to make you aware of how our influence can affect others around us. That one girl made a difference in my day. Can you make a difference in someone's day as well?
My challenge to you is to try. Go out of your way and talk to someone you may have seen in the hall the other day and talk to them. Maybe they're sitting alone. Maybe they just look like they need a friend. Whatever the circumstance is just do it. It may not make a huge difference in your life but it might in theirs.
Take a chance.
Hannah! I love your face! <3 I'll do this :)
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you, Jordan! I hope it helps someone. :) I really do. :)
DeleteYep!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember when you told me about this in person. :)
ReplyDelete