As college students, we all live extremely busy lives. Our minds are constantly whirling with a thousand different things: paper deadlines, project due dates, tests, girls, guys, parties-- it’s nearly impossible to keep up with it all. It makes sense, then, that we don’t always have time to pay attention to those around us.

We all do it-- someone’s telling you a story and halfway through you realize you haven’t heard a word they’ve said. So you nod or laugh and hope it’s an appropriate reaction, and move on. But what happens if this becomes less of a once in awhile thing, and more of a bad habit?

We live in a fast-paced, self-centered society that’s focused on me, I and mine. If what someone’s saying doesn’t specifically pertain to us, we tend to tune it out. When was the last time you had a conversation with someone and actually listened to them, or, God forbid, put your phone down while they spoke? Most of the time we don’t even realize we’re doing it, and that’s the problem. When was the last time you genuinely asked someone how their day was? When was the last time they asked you? If we all took the time out of our busy days to ask one another how we’re doing, we wouldn’t feel so compelled to talk about ourselves all the time. We shouldn’t have to compete for attention. How can we expect to have successful relationships with those around us if we aren’t mutually putting time into each other? You should care what people have to say. If you don’t, who knows what you’re missing out on?

In a similar respect, when we are engaging with people, too often we’re just impatiently waiting for our turn to speak, to talk about how we feel. This is especially true when it comes to politics. As the election grows nearer, more and more conflict is arising-- in classrooms, at home, on social media. It’s great that we have the freedom to express ourselves in so many ways in this country, sometimes in a way others can’t, but it’s important to realize your opinion is not fact. And your opinion, regardless of how right you think you are, is not authorized to dictate how anyone else lives. I’m talking to myself, too!

We have become so self-centered that we’ve forgotten some of the most important lessons you’re taught as a kid: respect others and listen before you speak.