By Sydney Holzwart
Biting nails, touching ones face, or even things that people do not realize are done on a regular bases can be considered habits. Peers might be the ones to help realize that good things are not always good habits.
When thinking of habits, playing with hair and cracking knuckles comes to mind.
Freshman Taylor Brown said, “I usually catch myself messing with my hair during class when [I was] bored,” which is something one would usually think of when habits come to mind. Freshman Bailey Eveland said, “Cracking one’s knuckles is very contagious and possibly hereditary. This is something I believe I caught on from my mom.”
People have habits that others might not think of as habits. “When I am sitting down, I kick or move my leg continuously,” said freshman Christin Davidson. Habits can affect people in different ways, habits being hereditary or contagious. Davidson said, “I think that they can be both. Habits are passed on by different generations and others can be contagious. For example when someone yawns, you yawn. Maybe habits work like that too.”
Sophomore Alex Berg relates to habits as she checks her phone on her free time. Photo by: Sydney Holzwart
Freshman Lily Medrano has a very different habit that people don’t think is common. Medrano said, “Picking at my eyelashes when they have mascara on them.” Medrano also thinks differently about something being hereditary or contagious. “No, it’s your own personal decision if you want to pick your eyelashes or not, or bite your nails or not.”
One habit people do not realize they do is being passive towards other people’s needs. For example, someone asking to fill up his or her water bottle, taking out the trash, getting his or her laundry out of the drawer. Freshman Tyanna Nickles said, “One of my habits is letting people take advantage of me. Like somebody telling me to do [his or her] homework. I know I have a habit because my grandma has told me many times about it.” Being taken advantage of does not always have to come off as a bad thing. Being noticed by others starts making something that is polite a habit.
Habits come and go and maybe gradually start new ones. For humans, this is such a common thing that there should be no shame in being him or herself.