Name: Sabina Ibragimova
First impressions are often wrong
Some people think that first impressions about a person are the most correct. However, other people do not judge a person by the first impressions, because it often turns wrong. From my daily experience and observations I can stand that first impression about a person is very often correct. Let’s say we have met someone whom we see for the first time in our life; it could be an exchange friend or student, a professor or a delegate from one of the international organizations. We immediately start criticize him/her by the external appearance; by the clothes, by hair cut and other things. It is true, that the “first impressions really count”. When people meet with each other for the first time they try to find something that they want to know, and that is why they usually start looking at the clothes, which they believe could give them some information about the person. I myself judge people by their outside world, but I know that it could be not right, because we can make a huge mistake in our life. To my mind we should at first acquaintance get to know better the person: by his/her communication, by the actions and feats, and by the attitude to others.
Of course when people meet for the first time they usually do not have time to get to know each other better or to have just a small conversation. I had a same situation with my teacher of Essay Writing and TOEFL class. At first when I saw her, she was really quite, and she was dressed in a simple light pink shirt and plain shoes which gave me to think that she does not follow fashion. Her face was so strict and she even did not show her smile when we had classes. Everyone suspected that she was not from humans, because she always sits alone with a cup of hot tea and a book from AC library. Frankly saying, I myself started thinking that she is a bit suspicious. I had the feeling of fear, because I was really afraid of to come up to her and ask how my essay was. Nevertheless we had individual work with her, and we had a chance to talk to her eyes to eyes about our essays. Once when I had an individual work with her, she told me everything what she thinks about my essays. I was amazed, because she released me, what I hadn’t known before. She said that she wanted to see passion and experience of a 16 year old girl, not a 45 year old woman. After a few conversations with my teacher I realized that she is not like I’ve thought before, she is really kind and pleased with others. Moreover due to her my writing became richer than I could ever imagine. It means that through communication in a good atmosphere people could learn a lot about each other.
Moreover as my granny always says, we should judge people by their actions and deeds. I totally agree with this one. If it was not like that, I would not meet my best friend forever. My best friend once came to my computer class. It was an ordinary girl who was dressed into red with small bold pears dress. At first I thought that she is like a quite mouse which always sits in the corner and listens to what I am talking about. After some time, a great idea bumped into my mind, and I decided to help her, to get out from this. We walked with each other after AC, getting to know something that we have not known before each other. I let in on her into my plans about my volunteering, and she was surprised hearing that serving people is the best thing ever. She enthusiastically began to be involved in community service work. She even helped me with February Weather Project for 3rd graders which was in her school. It is also due to her who showed me another world, where only kindness plays a big role and no revenge or enviousity. Due to her actions and confidence in front of public, she surely opened herself to others. I am glad to her, because she overcame her fears and indubitably became an interesting personality who is respected by all people. Without any doubts I can say that actions and deeds can get together people more closely.
Also we should judge people by their attitude to others. If we do not know the person, we look at his/her attitude towards others through our own observations. The proverb which says “Treat people they way you want to be treated” is totally right. We should treat a person the way he/she treats you back. This is a very important attitude, as it helps to get to know person better. His/her reactions on various situations, how he/she deals with classmates and parents, and other significant things. By the way of relationship to others we could have small information about a person whom we have met for the first time.
In conclusion, I believe that first impression is very often wrong. I must confess that I judge people by his/her first appearance, but I tell myself this is a subject to change and try to keep it my opinion with me. By communication, by actions and deeds, and by attitude to others we could get to know person better.
Number of words: 911
TOEFL listening lectures: What does ‘monotreme’ mean?