I got to thinking about impressions. Making a first impression is imperative when it comes to just about everything: finding friends, job interviews, meeting the parents. But sometimes we sacrifice ourselves in order to impress others. We put up a front that is nothing short of fake. We tailor our opinions and ideas. We seek respect. But what we don’t seem to realize is that we are much more deserving of respect if we put ourselves out there first. While we shouldn’t press heavy topics right off the bat, we should always remember to be who we are. That will impress anyone; that takes courage, and will always earn respect.