What does it really mean to be popular? When looking up the word "Popular" on google, the first definition that comes up says "liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people or by a particular person or group."

Young girls have been programmed to assume that when someone is known as popular, they are nasty, fake, promiscuous, rich-girls. In reality, being popular means that a person is friendly with everyone they encounter. Being a friendly person leads to getting to know and becoming friends with an ample amount of people. Because of the way "popular girls" are portrayed like the famous Regina George of Mean Girls, the word popular is no longer used as a compliment but as an insult. Many teens now who are considered to be in the popular crowd feel that the word degrades them. When you meet someone you would consider to be popular, it does not necessarily mean they fit any of the stereotypes that have been formed by the media. Most teens see this crowd and automatically assume they are all unkind and have everything handed to them, but when you get the chance to really get to know them, they might surprise you. It is not uncommon that the girl you see in the hallway that you think has it all, has a life that life that is much more flawed than you'd expect. So it goes, every person has their own struggles throughout life and nobodies lives are perfect regardless of what it may look like.

Because the media has been so hard on these girls for so long, the idea of being popular continues to be perceived as a negative trait. When you have an opportunity to meet a girl you may think is popular, give them a chance before deciding they are as bad as people say they are. Don't get me wrong no matter where you go or who you talk to there are unfriendly people everywhere, and I am sure there are plenty of girls who might meet these particular stereotypes, but that is no excuse to not give every person you meet a fair personality assessment. You wouldn't want to others to make assumptions about you based on who you're friends with or what you wear, so why make assumptions about others?