How do I guard myself from toxic people in college?

Hi Rachel,

Your concern is very valid. Sometimes it is very tough to discern if someone is toxic from the first few meetings. I recommend trying to meet and network as much as possible while you are in college; you never know who will end up becoming a life long friend, or when a connection with come in handy. However, you will recognize at some point, that some people are toxic, and only care about themselves while spreading negative energy. As soon as you see this, or spot any signs, try to distance yourself from that person/group. I realize that it may be hard to do so if that person is part of a big group of friends that you are close to, but it is not necessary that you have to interact with them heavily. In addition, college is filled with thousands of students from all over the world, so if you end up meeting many toxic people early on, just distance yourself. Rest assured that you will meet some great people along your journey.

Hi Rachel,

This is an excellent question and I'm glad you are trying to make an effort in removing toxic people from your circle. Someone who is your friend would truly want the best for you, help you when needed and offer you whatever is needed without seeking anything in return . Some people are really good at hiding who they truly are and it can take some time to really understand a person's true intentions. Having friends is very important but they can also be detrimental to your well - being, so its important to use your best judge of character. When trying to avoid those who you feel are toxic, I'd suggest you make a strong effort to distance your self from them. You can stop hanging around places you know they frequent and stop responding to calls and messages. If they come to you and acknowledge the distance you can say something like "you know I really need to spend more time on my studies and I feel that you would distract me from my current goals". When I was in school and I decided to be serious about my grades, I really had to cut some people off because I felt like I would be taken off track and into a different direction. From experience, I know there are people who will intentionally and unintentionally take you off your choose path. So if you have a goal, whatever it is, it's extremely important to analyze those around you and understand who they are as a person, not just as your friend.

I hope this helps you at least a little bit.

Best of luck in your studies!