The truth about rumors

A new school year means new teachers, new classes, new wardrobes, and of course, new gossip!
Everyone is talking about who likes the best friend of his ex; what he or she did at this or that party and oh my God, she soo had plastic surgery! We are all guilty of gossiping, and it seems harmless at the time . . . until the gossiper becomes the gossipee.
Sadly, to teens in my school, gossip provides for entertainment, conversation, jokes, and recipes for ruining reputations.
People talk about other people to fill awkward silences, or trash talk about other people and to make them sound more interesting and in the know.
It is time to put an end to the gossip cycle! People who talk about other peoples' lives obviously don't have exciting lives of their own.
So what if you are the first to hear about a scandalous hook-up?
So what if it is worth a gazillion gossip points? 
By telling other people about it, will it make you a better person? 
How do you want to be remembered twenty years from now? Most likely to succeed or most likely to stab a friend in the back?
When you are talking about someone else try to imagine how you would feel if someone was saying that about you. You would think, &#8220What makes them feel that THEY know what is going on in MY life?”
It takes years to build a reputation but only minutes to destroy one. How can you expect people not to talk about you behind your back if you talk about them behind theirs?
Nobody likes a walking hypocrite, even if you did walk a mile in their shoes and their shoes were really cute!
We will always be surrounded by gossip in our high schools and in our lives. If &#8220word vomit” was a sickness, then we would all be bulimic! Even so, you can choose the high road when confronted with gossip.
It starts with stopping. Stopping the spreading.
If anything, you will gain respect by protecting someone else from being disrespected. It is a given that people will always talk - give them something good to talk about!
If someone starts a rumor about you here is a corny (but funny) comeback:
You: &#8220Are you Shakespeare?”
Them: &#8220No”
You: &#8220Then why are you trying to create drama?”