Small interactions, big impact

Sometimes the people who have the least time in our lives are the ones who have the most in uence on us. Fleeting interactions with these people — from classmates at school to teammates at sporting events — have a lasting impact on our values, personalities and worldviews. ese people can be referred to as “passing people,” and although their time in our lives may be brief, their signi cance should not be underestimated.

Some of the most signi cant bene ts that passing people o er are opportunities for learning and growth. In a classroom setting, peers or even teachers challenge our previously held beliefs and offer unique perspectives on a vast range of topics. In my AP U.S. History class last year, we had many opportunities to engage in classroom debates. One particular ex- perience that I still remember was the debate over the impact of the New Deal on American society. I always thought of the New Deal as a necessary response to the Great Depression, but as I listened to my classmates argue against it, I began to question my assumptions. ey brought up valid points about the role of government in individual liberty and the unintended consequences of government intervention. It was a challenge to hear opposing views, but ultimately, it allowed me to expand my understanding of the issue and consider di erent perspectives. Such moments of exchange can broaden our understanding of the world and enrich our lives. Passing people can also help us build a sense of community, even with those we seem to share few similarities with. With the grasp that social media has on our generation, it is common to feel a sense of isolation from others as we live much of our lives online. NPR reports that people who spend the most time on social media — more than two hours a day — had twice the odds of perceived social isolation than those who said they spent a half hour per day or less on those sites. Putting down our screens and interacting with passing people can serve as a reminder that we are all connected in some way or another.

Five years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a wise, elderly woman during a plane ride who shared her life experiences and stories about the wonders of technology and the many unexpected technological advancements she witnessed in her lifetime. Despite this brief encounter, her insights and advice stay with me to this day.

As we go through life, we often focus on the people who stay with us for a long time — our parents, siblings, close friends and others. While these people have tremendous impacts in our lives, they are o en the ones who a rm our previously held notions. What we o en forget is how little moments here and there with those who are only in our lives for short chapters can inspire us to think di erently and adapt new perspectives.

Recognizing the importance of passing people in our lives is not only bene cial for our personal growth but can also help us build a stronger sense of community. When we acknowledge the impact that others have on us, even if it was just for a brief moment, we can foster a sense of connection that ripples far beyond its initial impact.

Financial stress also leads to poor mental health. Krysia N. Mossakowski of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa states that er nancial burdens than those of previous generations. Mental health is a large factor for academic success, and a poor men-

To stay competitive and appeal to students, colleges spend millions of dollars to upgrade amenities to ensure they are current and cutting-edge. Ironically, much of this money goes into implementing resources to combat increasing mental health problems, many of which are caused by steep rates that these schools charge to enact these programs. While not an easy problem to solve, there are ways that colleges can help alleviate the burden on students, such as working with peer institutions to reduce costs. Peer institutions are a group of schools used for comparative analysis and benchmarking, and that o en have similar goals, level of resources and student populations. ese universities are competitive with each other, so by working together, they could negotiate better pricing for students. Furthermore, some colleges o er xed tuition rates, which let students agree on a xed cost to pay with the institution for their tenure. is allows students to guarantee the cost of their education for all four years rather than having to pay according to the ebbs and ows of the economy. However, it is a gamble; if the price of tuition happens to dip, students will be stuck paying more money than what they bargained for. For some, receiving an education is the key to social mobility and a better life. It o ers many a clear path to pursue the American Dream, to achieve lifelong goals and secure a better future for themselves that may or may not have been available to their predecessors. To support this dream, it is important to keep the doors to higher education open for the expansion of our society socially, intellectually and culturally.