Picture this: You’re eight years old. You and your mom are walking through the aisles at Target on a Sunday morning. You’re annoyed because your mom pulled you away from the TV, but then you arrive at the snack aisle. She says to you, “Alright pick ONE snack for the week.” You get the biggest smile on your face because you already know which snack you want, and sprint yelling, “I want the Scooby Snacks!”

For all you 90’s kids

The only reason you were able to identify the difference between Scooby Snacks and other snacks without opening the box is because of the label that stood on the outside. The bright colors, the font, even the packaging from the label all play a role in recalling the positive memories that are associated with that snack. Without the label, the contents within the box are hidden, and we are forced to explore it for ourselves and discover what’s inside. We depend on exterior stickers, and are able to recognize objects faster. They are the connection from one object to another by conveying the message of identification.

I think so too Oprah

But ironically, labels aren’t only something we can see or hold. We ourselves are walking labels because we have names that give us identification; names associated with a purpose. Labels are the communication we utilize to identify what something is and who someone can be, but are something we dismiss everyday.

The one time I am agreeing with Chandler Bing

People label each other as “hot” or “athletic” all the time and it affects our confidence by making us question who we are because of the labels we place on each other or ourselves. This happens because we care what other people think. As members of society, we strive to achieve a balance between following the social norm, and celebrating our individuality. Constant maintenance of this balance results in reverting to what others perceive us as in order to help us dictate who we want to be.

One of the most common places we find these labels is on social media platforms. Many artists, models, and companies hire social media specialists to monitor their posts and photos in order to provide for their fans and maintain their image.

Dang people she’s only 25

There is a demand that comes from fan bases to know about the everyday lives of the people they admire. In order to stay in business, artists create brands for themselves and post constantly in order to create the label of “relatable” to their supporters. Ironically, no matter how many labels we are willing to dish out to others, we will always be sensitive to the labels placed on us because we care what others think.

So we know the problem. Labels are everywhere, and we can’t stop that; however there are a few things we can do to read beyond the label:

Tip 1: Stop Relying on Reviews The next time you want to go out to a restaurant and can’t decide based on Yelp ratings, put down your phone and drive until you find something interesting. Try not to depend on other’s opinions in order to decide something for yourself, even if it as small as picking between Tide or Surf Laundry Detergent.

I personally have suffered from inaccurate Yelp reviews

Tip 2: Actually Understand the Label Often times it is easy to be swayed by packaging and exterior features in order to buy a product. Next time you’re shopping, try reading the ingredients before you buy a snack, or read the about the author page. Although it takes more time, checking all of the labels can help you make a more informed decision on what you’re purchasing, and reduce wasting money.

Do I read the labels you ask? Every time.

Tip 3: Meet Em Before You Judge Em So this one’s hard because it is easy to judge people based on how they look, speak, and dress. But we all know that we would not want people doing that to us, so we must try to give the benefit of the doubt to others. Next time you see someone you don’t know at a meeting or class, say hi, and ask how their day’s going. Or hold the door open for someone even if you don’t know they’re going to say thank you. It could just make their day and yours, while lowering negative misconceptions at the same time!

It’s 50/50 chance the guy in the blue shirt said thank you. But the man in the yellow is still smiling 🙂

Labels are something we cannot control, because they are distinctions that are imposed on us from outside forces. We can stop immediately labeling others, but we cannot run away from the snap judgements. All we can do is try our best to not assume based on the exterior labels by making little efforts every day. The key is to read beyond the labels.

♥ Little Kelli