Reputation can often differ from what is on the inside. Many people have reputations that they might not want. The thing is, it’s not hard to earn a reputation. Reputations can often hurt, but it’s a new year! New year, new you! Now’s the time to turn around reputations that people don’t want. It’s time to turn over a new leaf, and if you aren’t happy with your current reputation, now’s the time to change it. I interviewed five students throughout middle school. The students I interviewed were:

Dylan Blackwell (8th grade)

Kat Hack (7th grade)

Liberty Wise (7th grade)

Kassidy Brackett (7th grade)

What do you think your reputation is?

Dylan: “My reputation is chaotic gay person with anxiety and voices in his head.”

Kat: “I think my reputation is quirky, fun and Christmasy.”

Liberty: “I think my reputation is seen as being mean or a bully.”

Kassidy: “I think my reputation is “cute small child who can sometimes get violent” -Dylan 

And also goes crazy whenever they get near candy.”

Is that the reputation you want?

Dylan: “Yep.”

Kat: “I like my reputation a lot.”

Liberty: “This isn’t the reputation that I want. I wish that people saw me for who I am.”

Kassidy: “I guess. I don’t really care what people think about me.”

How do you think you got that reputation?

Dylan: “Anxiety, gayness, and a misunderstanding of a personality disorder.”

Kat: “I think I got the Christmassy by wearing Christmas sweaters before Thanksgiving, quirky for doing word stuff, and fun for not being afraid to do stuff that makes me happy.”

Liberty: “I got the reputation in 4th grade when I was a bully. I got counseling and changed my behavior.”

Kassidy: “I seriously do not know. I think it was because that is just the kind of person I am, and the reputation is pretty accurate. I think it could be because I do act like a cute small child who can sometimes get violent.”

If you were to have a different reputation what would it be?

Dylan: “I would not change.”

Kat: “If I had a different reputation it would be…. I don’t really want a  different reputation at all.”

Liberty: “If I were to have a different reputation I would choose it to be a nice person. I hate being seen as rude.”

Kassidy: “I would be the super amazing and cool person who could actually make a funny joke.”

If you wanted a different reputation, how would you get it?

Dylan: “Un-coming out.”

Kat: “…”

Liberty: “I don’t think it would have to be up to me to have a different reputation. The people that are labeling me as that are the ones that need a reputation change.”

Kassidy: “I am too lazy to do anything to change my reputation. And I just do not feel like it is that important to me as an individual. I do not care what other people think of me, unless they think of me badly. But I don’t think they do, so I don’t want to change my reputation.”

Cites:

https://www.cmo.com.au/article/688026/managing-brand-reputation-midst-cancel-culture/