The Real Victory…
Written by Raphaëlle Czawlytko on 16/08/12
Photo by Kasaa on Flickr
A fresh school year is around the corner and change is definitely in the air! You might make new friends, finally get to take that new class or even change schools. With all these changes going on, we’ll definitely find out that we won’t have all the same opinions as our new friends and peers. We may clash with them on certain ideas, and this is can result in an argument. And I’m sure we’ve all seen our peers having arguments, and sometimes it doesn’t go down so well.
When I was in high school, I saw how easy an argument could go from bad to worse. It started when two girls were insulting one another over past arguments. These girls were known to bicker often, so we thought it would be like every other time. But to our surprise, the screaming match quickly turned into an all out brawl when one of the girls made a mean comment about what the other girl was wearing.
Years later, I still remember that fight like it was yesterday. Luckily, it was broken up and resolved without too much hassle. But we all know that fights don’t always end smoothly. In the heat of the moment we don’t always think of the trouble we might get ourselves into if we don’t dodge a fight.
Walking away from a fight can save us a lot of physical and emotional pain; imagine having to go back to school and see the person you fought with or even get forced to work on a group project together…awkward! What about not being able to go back to class at all because you got suspended for fighting. Not cool. Especially because it could mean missing out on school activities, getting grounded, or even lead to criminal charges. Also, a record follows you around for years and can come back to bite you when you least expect it – like when you’re trying to get a job.
Photo by mattfoster on Flickr
I know it might take more courage to walk away than to stay and fight, but by walking away; you showed everyone you’re the bigger person. I was reading a blog on the internet about school fights and found one comment to be an example of what fighting caused to this youth. He was saying that he spent over 100 days sitting in a prison cell last summer: “For what again? Yes, ONE PUNCH.” The full story is not posted online, but the point is, there’s no need to fight unless your life depends on it or if you cannot walk away.
Remember that there is no winner or loser in a fight; the real victory goes to the person who can keep their cool and walk away instead of fighting. This sets a positive example for everyone around you, and most of all it is a short term decision that will make a big difference in the long run.
Links
DEAL.org: Stamped for Life
Department of Justice: Youth Criminal Justice Act
Department of Justice: OFFENCES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER
