People remember others for a number of reasons. One may have a pretty smile, or be good at a sport, or for their appearance, but most importantly, I remember how they act towards you and others, whether they know you or not. I believe people should act the way they want to be remembered and always make a positive first impression. Many people worry about how others think they look or who they are friends with, but I believe that you must act the way you want others to remember you to make a lasting impression.
To be remembered should be some kind of honor. Being remembered is something to aspire to because you know that you made some kind of difference in that person’s life. I remember a time when I was helping a deaf girl at her girl scout meeting with a ton of seven year old girls there too. Being part of a girl scout meeting with all the little girls there means they are going to look up to you no matter what you do. Mothers came and went to pick up their children after the meeting and one mother specifically remembered me a whole year later when she was looking for a babysitter. She asked me to baby sit her kids very often because she said she loved how I treated her daughters. This kind of remembrance made me feel great. I think this type of situation should always be accounted for.
Remembrance comes in day to day experiences too. You go through each day being remembered by all people around you. In the halls you are remembered when people say hi or smile. Everyone remembers you for a reason. I have gone to many family parties and have been asked many questions like, “How is school? How is lacrosse going? Have any boyfriends?” along with a series of other questions like those. To me, this means people remember me for being easy to talk to and interesting. Remembrance can also be very hard to deal with. When people change, it can give them a bad reputation to be remembered by. I have been in situations where I have had a stressful and long day, and later meet a new person. This new person will get the unpleasant wrath of my bad day. They will probably remember me as unhappy, but hopefully later learn I just had a bad day.
Substitute teachers have to deal with first impressions all the time. I remember a substitute who everyone dreaded to have because the first time she was there, she did not give us a recess. Whenever all of the fifth graders saw her in their class, they prepared themselves for a long, long day of “tough” work.
Being remembered for the positive things you have done is often disregarded, but I think it should be thought of more often. First impressions always make a difference in opinions.