You probably know someone who emits a certain vibe, who has an indisputable affect on everyone around them. Peter Kavinsky’s mere existence caused teenage girls to swoon and faint by the dozens. Inspiring activists such as Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela have been known to captivate entire audiences, and even certain types of music allow you to feel energized and refreshed. On the contrary, negative people complain and put others down, intuitively making you feel tense and insecure. Despite this, many still seem to believe this concept is just a myth.

 You may or may not be aware of the energy around you. Positive energy is a bundle of desirable attributes, whereas negative energy is made up all of the unfavorable traits one makes known in their personality. To pick up on this aspect of someone, it may just take you sitting next to them in class, or having a simple conversation with them to get a feel for what energy they are really putting out. Sometimes energy is easily felt, and other times it is a subconscious view of them.

 In high school, you may feel trapped in a whirlwind of negative vibes from your peers. The obvious reason is that everyone around you is most likely sleep deprived and stressed to the point of pulling their hair out. On Friday night, there is a noticeable difference in the air; everyone is a shockingly new person. You feel energized and happy around your friends. These positive vibes have been replenished as a result of the situation and environment.

 Katherine Pair is a sophomore at Millbrook who, when described by her friends and peers, is everything smiley and carfree. “When someone around me is happy, it usually motivates me to want to be happy myself. They encourage me to see the brighter side of things and overall stop me from being gloomy and bringing others down. At the end of the day, you are affecting others around you, and it is always a good idea to steer clear of negative vibes,” said Katherine.

 Many people are considered toxic because of their negative disposition. The best thing to do in this situation is take yourself and your energy elsewhere when your positive vibes are being jeopardized. It is important to understand that someones toxic reputation does not give them any authority over the vibes you give out. You can radiate whatever you choose to represent, whether it is good or bad. Reaching out to others to advise and listen to them will surely lift them up. Sometimes people just need to vent all that negativity. Since one person can easily lift or bring down the spirit of someone around them, it is essential to spread more good than bad vibes to keep this cycle productive.

 Throughout your life, you will constantly be seeing different sides of people and being introduced to the energy they give off. It is natural to factor what you sense about them subconsciously into your total assessment of who they are as a person. Perhaps every once in a while a red flag will appear, and you may feel unsure of whether this person is worth keeping in your life. Take your time and watch how people treat you, as well as how they treat others. The purpose of reading energy is to become more empathic by sensing the tendencies of many different personalities. Stay alert to the signals sent by different kinds of energy so that you can see the whole person, beyond one of their bad days.