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Posted by Girls By Design
November 13, 2010
Categories:  Discussion, Journey
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(Photo by: kennymatic)

Do new environments change people?

By Lauren

There’s a question that has weighed on my mind for the first few months of every school year since I started college (I’m now in my third year!).  Do new environments fundamentally change people and their personalities?  Of course, individuals tend to adapt their behaviors to fit their new surroundings, but I’ve seen friends from high school change their behavior drastically as they’ve gone through major life changes, such as going to college, moving to a city far from home, and living on their own for the first time.  I’ve been more than a little surprised on a few occasions to witness and hear about old friends doing things they never would have done in high school.  These occasions have caused me to wonder:  “Did college really change these people?  Or did it just bring to the surface what was already there but not expressed?”

Have any of you ever been in a situation where you or a friend entered a new environment and changed significantly?  What do you think and how did you feel about it?  Do you think that new environments can significantly change people’s personalities?  Or are they not really changes, but just stronger manifestations of what was there all along?

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Alyssa

November 17, 2010

I lost a friend due to her changing because of the environment she was in :(
I’m this instance, different things were expected of us when we went to college, i.e. drinking, crazy behavior etc, so she unfortunately she didn’t change for the better. But like you said in your last sentence it could have simply been her personality all along, and the environment just helped that come out more.

I think it’s kind of sad that sometimes we all act like chameleons, changing our attitudes, or personalities to blend into to certain situations. We should be able to live out who we are to the fullest with out having to conform.

But on the other hand I’m sure changes in environment can change people for the better too, for example volunteering or something similar.


Maia

November 17, 2010

i definitely think you take a piece of your environment with you, and in a sense it is reflected in your character. which is why i think it is so important to choose your environment carefully – from which college you go to, parties, or the type of friends you hang out with — you can be an incredibly strong and independent person and still take the tiniest bit away from your environment


Maia

November 17, 2010

and also, i dont think its necessarily ’sad’ that people change, because it’s inevitable and sometimes its for the worst and sometimes for the best, but change isnt something that should be denied. it is something to be acknowledged and worked with not against


Laurenelle

November 17, 2010

I don’t necessarily think that change is sad either! Agreed, Alyssa – people can definitely change for the better as well when new environments have a positive impact on them. And I do understand that your environment can shape your behavior in some ways, but does it/should it shape who you are?