???One thing I absolutely cannot stand is drama.
???Honestly, sometimes I feel like I never left middle school.
???There were several people in my eighth grade class who caused drama consistently, and since the class was very small, everyone got caught up in the gossip. As I grew older, I was luckier.
???I was fortunate enough to avoid drama for the most part in high school. There were a few girls who caused it and occasionally I did get caught in the crossfire, but for the most part I got to sit back and watch the anger, tears and screaming from a distance.
???High school was a refreshing change from middle school, but after graduation it all came back. I got caught up in a group of people who constantly talked about others - including their own best friends - behind their backs, acted friendly toward people they hated and blew the smallest things out of proportion. I eventually extricated myself from that situation. Since then, I've been relatively drama-free again, but every once in a while I feel it creeping back into my life, always for no good reason.
???The main thing I do not understand is why people feel the need to create drama. I really thought that after a certain age, people outgrew such blatant theatrics.
???There are certain people who seem to make it their life's mission to stir things up, and not in a good way: the ones who thrive on conflict, the ones who act like your best friend when they actually hate you, the ones who gossip to every single person they meet, the ones who enjoy telling you what someone else said about you when they know it can only hurt you, the ones who make fun of everyone for things they should not care about at all, like people's bodies, financial situation and clothing.
???I'm sure we all know and despise people like this. I truly do not understand how they can feel good about themselves while they are doing these things. We are all better than this.
???I think the worst thing people can do is to pretend that the person they hate is their best friend. If two people know their dislike is mutual, why would they feel the need to pretend otherwise? You don't have to hurl staplers at the other person's head every time you meet, but you also don't have to hug and make vague lunch plans that neither of you intend to keep. Say hello and keep moving.
???There's no really good, tactful, discreet way to get rid of someone poisonous. Sometimes all you can do is grin and bear it-and then go home and vent to someone you trust about the things your nemesis does, in order to avoid eventually blowing up in the wrong direction. But this means one person, not every single person you know.
???There is never a good reason for drama. If people would stop blowing incidents out of proportion, listen to each other, respect each other and just get over things, no one would have to deal with these headaches.
???Yes, there will always be issues to deal with, but they do not need to be treated as something earth shattering. Talking things out like the rational adults we all should be at this point in our lives would go a long, long way toward solving all these problems.
???So for God's sake, everyone, please act your age.
