Alya Alemdar

A poster that brings smiles to everyone’s faces is located in Ms. Hurlimann’s classroom. One of the many positive posters around school encourages students to think positively and can help with some negative thoughts that can occur when students feel stressed out.

Even though the first word that comes to mind when describing something you dislike is “hate,” we might want to dive deeper into that word. Hate originally stems from a place of extreme dislike for something and attracts negative connotations. 

And we could be reading this thinking, “Yeah, that’s why I use that word,” but think about the message we are giving off when using it.

According to PsychologyToday, which explains the psychology behind different emotions, hatred stems from things that are unlike ourselves. When someone does something that normally isn’t something we would do, we tend to reflect on it and critique it. It could be someone’s way of expressing themselves, race, or even sexuality; what makes us feel the urge to throw a wave of hate towards them?

“Kids aren’t intending to be hateful or mean, but it’s important for them to understand so they can learn to regulate it,” said Ms. Williams, Sage Creek’s AP Psychology teacher.

Using hateful language may be seen as bluntly obvious how hurtful they are, but for most, it’s not obvious how those words can truly impact someone.

“You sort of lose that humanity of the person in front of you,” said Ms. Williams. 

Williams said that understanding emotions can be difficult. She expressed how our prefrontal cortex finishes developing when we reach age 25 and how this helps with making decisions, controlling mood and understanding the consequences of our actions.

For teenagers, that’s what they most need when dealing with these new emotions with no idea where to put them. And that can lead to projection on people just minding their own business. 

For example, why would Donald Trump, a 70-year-old former president and current candidate, feel so eager to post on Truth Social “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT”? Why would someone with their own life challenges and blessings need to bring someone else down? 

Erik Lopez Manjarrez, a junior at Sage Creek, is part of a program called No Place for Hate that strives to reduce the hateful comments and microaggressions in a school environment. 

Lopez has expressed that instead of simply talking at students, we should educate people on the derogatory terms, hurtful language, slurs and phrases they use, what they mean and how they can affect someone.

“Be the main character. Call people out when you hear something that’s not appropriate,” Lopez said. Putting up posters and flyers around the school to bring people’s attention to the subtle yet outwardly open bullying and harassment that takes place in our school’s environment has allowed students to be more open to learning about the “subtle” harassment happening.

“It’s okay to feel however you feel, ” said Ms. Drozd, Sage Creek AVID and AP World History teacher. 

Ignoring or pushing past these emotions can hurt not only your mental health but also make you struggle with different aspects of your life. Drozd expressed that supporting and promoting student’s emotional growth is key. 

AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and strives to support students who intend to go to college and help them prepare for their future while practicing and learning skills for success. Practices such as “Circle Students” allow students to share and address their emotions with others. 

“My suggestion for students, I think just be honest with yourself, with how you’re feeling,” said Ms. Drozd. “And knowing that it’s okay to feel however you feel.” This can help students understand what to improve and work on.

Addressing these emotions and one inner “Hate Cycle” can help us to better understand the root of the cause of hate and helps us develop strategies to stop it from spreading. Instead of communicating with a negative worldview, opt for a more optimistic attitude to impact our mental and physical health positively. 

These behaviors can help reestablish a safe and respectful community at Sage Creek. Having students and teachers work together to educate others can help us prevent bullying and harassment.

We all are human and have our own opinions, but that doesn’t change the fact that we have emotions and other people’s actions can take a toll on us. Help each other out and don’t be bystanders. “Be your Bobcat Best,” some might encourage. Be a good person, not someone else saying they “hate” Taylor Swift.