Taylor Swift sang it best when she said, “Why you gotta be so mean?” Not that long ago, a friend and I went to Lil’ Chef restaurant to enjoy a quick meal before going to the movies. It was my first time at the restaurant and it reminded me of a version of a Coney Island. The food was delicious, but I left with a bittersweet taste in my mouth. The taste wasn’t a result from the food, but the table of people sitting beside me. There was a group of friends consisting of two girls and one boy. The two girls must have been bored because they didn’t have nothing better to do than to make fun of the way I ate my food.
How do I know this? Because they were staring directly at me not trying to hide their expression and laughing obnoxiously loud as they leaned over in their seats. One girl even said to the boy at the table “We always make fun of the way people eat.” The fact that they were making fun of the way I ate a plate of French fries and pieces of shrimp did not bother me. It was the fact that college students still find enjoyment in picking on strangers for no reason at all. I thought that was something people grew out of when they graduated high school. I guess not.
It’s a shame people have the need to point out others’ flaws and make them seem inferior to build themselves up. I guess this just goes to show people with low self-esteem need to make themselves feel better somehow. Though it’s disrespectful and immature, the important thing is not to let someone’s preconceived judgment bother you. If you find yourself in my position where people are making fun of you for a reason that doesn’t even make sense, just shake it off with the four tips below.
1. You do not have to acknowledge the fact you were the target of the hate.
Sometimes it’s best not to acknowledge that you heard what someone or a group of people said about you. This does not make seem you weak. It’s just a way of being the bigger person and not letting a stupid opinion from someone who doesn’t even know you turn into drama. If it’s something small, shake your head and let it go. Remember: they’re not even worth your attention.
2. Don’t let the meanness rub off on you.
Sometimes mean people want you to hear the gossip or nonsense they’ve been talking about you because they want to start drama. Don’t fall for their trap. Instead of letting their words get to you and using your words to cause harm just like they did, walk away. You can’t control the things people say about you, but you can control the way you respond to it. Walk away because nothing positive will come out of the unnecessary drama.
3. If you do confront the hater, give them nothing but love.
You may think a nasty word will leave a bigger impact on someone who used you as his or her target of criticism than saying something nice, but you’re wrong. If you call someone an expletive because they called you one, the only thing you’re doing is fueling the fire. Instead, put the fire out and say something like “Hey, look I’m sure you’re a nice person deep down inside and you didn’t really mean what you said. You’re just upset right now because of something that has nothing to do with me. So I’m going to let that remark you just made go and I hope you get through whatever’s troubling you.” If the person keeps firing words back at you, just leave him or her alone. Remember misery loves company. So, it’s better to just get yourself out of the situation.
4. Surround yourself around a positive group of people.
If you’re surrounded by a group of friends when someone starts hating on you forget about trying to defend yourself. You’ll be too busy to having a good time with your friends that you’ll forget what the person said about you. Eventually, they’ll understand you’re not bothered by anything they say and will give up. If not, you’re friends will easily come to your defense and tell the person to mind their own business. Before you know it, you’ll be laughing so hard that you forgot what the person even said.