Rumors, gossip, and drama are nothing new. As social creatures, humans can have a tendency to talk about each other, but when taken too far, how destructive can this behavior really be? This social phenomenon can be clearly observed in the world’s most primal social experiment, high school. As a place that can either feel like warm familiarity or swimming with pit vipers, it is notorious for its unforgiving social waters.

Alyson Rizzuti, a Counselor at Clover Hill says,“[drama] it’s home and at school it’s like they can’t escape, they just feel very disconnected.” Rizzuti spoke of the oppressive feelings that this social turmoil can leave in its wake. 

While discussing the outcomes and effects that she has often seen in students, she made it clear that at least in the midst of the storm, it can be detrimental to students mentally. “It makes kids feel withdrawn, or discouraged, and it can make them really hard on themselves, it can make them really angry,” Rizzuti said. “Other than just being really difficult for the kids, I think [the worst outcome] is when it’s persistent, like it doesn’t stop or the kids really internalize it and it just spreads.”

When speaking to students, there was a general sense of negativity surrounding the topic.  Xander Popovich, a student at Clover Hill said, “I feel like it [drama] could definitely ruin the school experience.” Popovich stated,“I was homeschooled until fourteen, and then switched to public high school and it was just really overwhelming for me, all of the gossip that was going on around me and about me. And I feel like it does ruin it a little bit for everyone.” 

It is inarguable that this culture is one in which the circulation of information, personal or not, can be and will be spread. Especially in school settings, it tends to be oppressive, a weight to carry. Most, if not everyone, has suffered from it, or at least been affected by it and yet, no one seems to stop. 

It comes down to the fact that, on a certain level, it is enjoyable. Talking about other people is interesting and often able to be justified if people feel they have no malicious intent. Rumors? Just speculation. Drama? Siding with friends. Gossip? Just getting the facts. This is even easier when all of this information is only one text away. And to a degree, some of this is justifiable, it would be unreasonable to say that learning about other people and discussing aspects of one’s personal life and those in it is inherently bad. At the core, humans are undeniably very social creatures. 

However, that being said, people are more than animals with uncontrollable urges. They are able to understand that there is a line to be drawn where socializing borders a witch burning. People are able to hold themselves to a higher standard than giving into petty thoughts, fighting over trivial matters, and sharing what’s not not theirs to share at the expense of someone else and for personal gain or shallow entertainment. Being able to draw the line then makes it your responsibility to draw the line.

This goes beyond just highschool. While it may feel more intense as high schoolers swim through the ocean of immaturity, hormones, and emotions, it is something that infects and corrupts some of the highest institutions of our society. Being critical of these behaviors and issues now is  not only working toward the betterment of the current school community, but to the future of our culture as a whole.