Drama. What came to your mind when you read that word? Maybe plays or maybe fights, maybe school or maybe friends. By it’s very definition, drama means a lot.

Think about that for a moment.

No matter how much you try to stop it or get it out, it always seems to find you. Every group has it. Whether it’s a friend backstabbing another friend or relationship issues, we all have it. Some of us have it more than others, and many of us try to escape it. Some live their whole life with drama. But there are ways you can get away from it.

I have been there, where people thought I just liked drama when I hate it. I made friends with people who started drama constantly and finally I decided they weren’t the friends I wanted to surrounded myself with. I started distancing myself. I wish I could say that always worked, but sometimes the drama comes back. I’m not friends with that group anymore, but somehow they still continue to start drama with me.

You may not always be able to escape it, but there are ways to put it out of your mind. You can do sports or practice something you love doing. It can take your mind off of the drama. One way you can reduce the drama in life is to get away from people who cause it the most. It won’t stop it, but it will help.

Drama can ruin relationships. No matter how hard you try, it can tear them away from you. Drama will hurt you and hurt others, and it can come in all shapes and sizes. When it hurts you, it hurts everyone.

What’s one way you can reduce the drama that is in your life this week? Comment below with your ideas!

Emmery Brewer is an eighth grade student. She loves school and enjoys studying all school subjects. Emmery enjoys writing, singing, and spending time with friends. Her words on dealing with “the mean girls of middle school” comes from her own personal experiences of being bullied by a mean girl. She says that she wants to tell the girl who bullied her “thank you” because the lessons she has learned from that experience have made her stronger.

If you’d like to write for the SHIFT for Teens blog, contact us at shiftforteens@gmail.com! We would love to hear your perspective on issues facing teens or other topics that can help your peers.