Because of my majors, I spend a lot of time around words. Somewhere in my life I decided it would be a cool idea to scientifically study language. In fact, that’s basically all that I do. Language form, meaning and context have burrowed themselves in my brain, encompassing all that I do. I guess that’s why it’s interesting to me when people can take what they say so lightly. As college students, we throw around words like they are nothing and that must stop.

How many of us  as children sang that “words will never hurt me” only to grow up and realize that it is a lie? The truth of the matter is that words and the way we use them have weight.

Words can move us to tears or make us all burst out in unceasing laughter. You can speak life or death, tranquility or chaos.

I mean my own religion says that God said “let there be light” and a whole world sprang forth, so imagine from that perspective the impactful nature of language on the people around you.

Because of this, we have to be more vigilant and intentional in how we speak to others.

We type paragraphs full of venom on social media, demean others in person and alienate entire groups of people. And for what? So that we can feel better about ourselves? That’s a really childish way to live.

It’s time that we take a look at how we talk to one another. I know it’s cliche and borderline annoying, but most of the time it isn’t what you say but how you say it.If we want to be fully -functioning communicative adults we have to be able to sustain conversation in a way that is not only informative, but conducive to creating a healthy environment for everyone involved.

So from here on out I think it would be awesome if we all banded together and decided to chose our words wisely.