Have you ever thought someone was a certain way just because of the way they look? As humans,  we often judge the people around us. We misjudge others more frequently than assume correctly about them. Misjudgement is when we believe, even for a split second, that we know certain things about others. Most times we are wrong, like in my case.

My 7th grade science class had very little students. Around December of that year my teacher, Mrs.Sadler,  announced we were going to have a new student that week. Like usual, everyone was excited to see who the new student would be. Later That day I seen  a new kid walking around with the principal. I didn't think much of him because I was too busy talking to my friends.

The next day I went to my science class and totally forgot about the new student. I was sitting getting my papers out when I heard my teacher say,  “The new student’s name is Carson and he's going to sit next to you.”

I didn't know she was talking to me because I had my head down. Right before the late bell rang I saw an unfamiliar face walk through the door. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was caucasian. He was wearing a printed button up shirt with khakis. I slanted my head a little because he looked different. I don't know why i felt some type of negative way toward him, but I did.

“Hey. Im Mrs.Sadler. This is your science class. And you're going to sit next to Gissel. She's sitting way in the back.” My teacher said as she pointed in my direction. 

I told her I didn’t want him sitting next to me with my facial expressions. She sort of ignored me. Carson sat down and I immediately thought he was stuck up from the moment I seen him walk through the door. I had, so I thought, made up my mind about him
I didn't introduce myself but he did, and in the most polite way ever.

In a squeaky voice trying to make conversation saying, “Hey I’m Carson. Is the teacher always that talkative? Ha.”

I answered shyly with, “Yeah”.
I was nervous because I didn’t know him. The rest of the time in that period was silent between us. The next day we had a substitute teacher who didn’t do anything but read his books.Carson came in the class nearly late. He sat down and I got a strong whiff of cigarettes. I tried ignoring it. I said “This sub never does anything. Haha”
He replied with “Really?”.

I told him that he smelled like cigarettes and gagged in a joking way so he can see. We both couldn't stop laughing about it. That’s when my view on him started to change. He said his mom always smokes in the car and asked if I had spray he can use. I came to realize that he wasn't a bad person at all. I didn’t give him a chance because I was too focused on the differences I thought we had. He was really goofy just like me. The rest of the year we talked more and more, learning how much we actually had in common and got closer because of that.

To this day we are best friends. I learned that as a kid I was very close minded on meeting new people. As I look back at how poorly my judgements were about others I am glad I’m not so rigid. The fact that I checked myself, I grew as a better person.  I misjudged someone who is now one of my favorite people in my life.