Cheesy title, right? Glad I could grab your attention though. We've all had to go through middle and high school; it's part of life. But not everyone necessarily had the best time in those periods of our life. This novel by Jay Asher came out when I was in middle school. Unfortunately, I didn't know about it until recently when the Netflix series based on the book came out. (I'm sure most people didn't know until then either). Since its release on Netflix on March 31st, it's popularity level is clearly at a high. I was so hooked that I watched the entire season in a day. That's how good it is. But is it wrong to say that a series about someone that killed herself is good? The fact that a young girl was driven to suicide definitely isn't good, nor will it ever be. But what good could come from the novel Thirteen Reasons Why? If you're anything like me, you felt groggy when you finished the series or novel. You were so emotionally attached that you had to pick yourself up and evaluate your life afterwards. These are some of the reasons why we needed it:

1. You'll become more aware.

This is probably the most obvious one. How informed of depression and suicide are you? I would bet money that many of the viewers researched suicide and depression after they were introduced to Thirteen Reasons Why. Which is super important.

2. You'll watch what you say to others.

"Omg, did you hear about ___? Yeah, she's so gross." "Her body count is so high; no one is ever going to want her." "I have a class with her and she's so stupid." The casual conversations you're having with your friends are the ones that you didn't know were the ones that hurt the most.

3. You'll watch what you post.

Remember that picture of your classmate's 'ugly' shoes or shirt you snapped while she wasn't looking and sent to a friend? The one that got sent around, posted on twitter, and talked about? It all began with you. The classmate might have cried themselves to sleep for a week straight. The picture you took may have been the breaking point that pushed them to begin self-harming.

4. You'll become a little more selfless,

Maybe it starts with something as little as asking your friend, "How are you today?" But you'll probably be a little less invested in yourself, because you never know what a friend might be going through. Not everyone talks about issues they're facing, but knowing that someone genuinely cares about the state you are in can go a long way.

5. You'll know that the smallest of things can have the biggest of impacts.

When your friends ask to hang out, do you ignore the text? Maybe that friend needed someone to be a friend back. The coffee date she wanted would have helped her spirits. Maybe they just needed to get a heavy load off of their chest. Of course this isn't necessarily the case every time, but a reply of "Sorry, can't today!" is better than a 'read and no reply' kind of deal. The series (and book) showed that little events that wouldn't seem like a big deal to someone who isn't depressed, hit Hannah hard because she was depressed. It's the small things.

6. You won't minimize mental diseases.

You're probably thinking, "What does that even mean?" but I’ll tell you. You saw, or read, what happened to Hannah because of her depression. You saw, or read, how it affected the people around her after her depression began leading her to suicidal. Some might argue that mental diseases aren't real because you can't physically see them. But can't you? You can see the change in a someone's personality. You can see that their face no longer lights up. You can see them distancing themselves. You can see it and you can feel it. It's real.

7. You'll learn more about loving others.

This is similar to #4, but it's still important. Sometimes all a person needs is to be loved. I don't mean the ooey gooey, boyfriend-girlfriend love. I just mean LOVE. The kind of love where you're excited to be around someone. The kind of love where you show interest in a person's story. The kind of love where you

8. You'll realize that change and prevention starts with you, not a poster.

Don't wait until someone dies to start caring. Show your support in preventing suicide now. A life shouldn't be lost in order for change to occur. Don't put posters up because someone is gone. Put them up because you care about losing a peer.

9 You'll understand the importance of your actions.

Also similar to #2 and #3. You saw what the actions of others did to Hannah Baker. Don't let it happen to someone else.

10. The importance of consent!!!

Fight, flight, or freeze. Know what that is? In a sexual assault, a victim will either fight, run away, or freeze from the emotional distress that has been caused on the body. No means no. Silence means no. A changed mind means no. NO MEANS NO. Rape will absolutely change a person. The light was taken out of Hannah's eyes in the show and you could see that it was the final straw. Her soul was taken from her and that isn't something that only happens in books or movies. Consent is so so so very important.

11. It isn't too late to help someone else.

Maybe it's too late for Hannah Baker, but it isn't too late for the quiet boy in your chemistry lab. It isn't too late for the girl on the bus with cuts on her arm. It isn't too late for you. Stop the bullying when you see it. Pick someone up when they're feeling down and don't be afraid of what other people will think.

12. You know what could happen to the families after suicide.

From the movie's perspective, you could see that Hannah's death was tearing her parents apart at times. Her mother couldn't sleep and never felt closure. The families will ask for the rest of their lives, "What was it that got them to this point?" They'll wonder if it was their fault. "Maybe if I hadn't yelled at her for being late, she would still be here." The emotion shown on their faces would be enough to bring me to tears.

13. There will always be a special place in your heart for all of the one's lost to suicide.

You will always feel for the families that have lost a member from suicide. You won't feel exactly what they have felt, but you will realize the impact that the lost life has had on them. Even though you didn't know Hannah Baker, you'll remember Hannah Baker. You'll remember her smile and laughter and think, "Man, this beautiful girl is no longer here. She was hurt so badly that she felt she had no other option."

Maybe you won't feel this way after "Thirteen Reasons Why", but I can say that I did - and awareness is what everyone really needs.