The Duality of First Impressions

Social interactions can be challenging. Meeting new people presents both an exciting opportunity and a test because people can form opinions about others from their first acquaintance.

New meetings are a common occurrence for freshmen at AUBG. Interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds and exchanging experiences becomes almost natural.

“First impressions can say a lot about someone, but they also can mislead,” said Arthur Nhapulo, a freshman at AUBG. 

“First impressions make or break the relationship,” explains Arthur.

His words encapsulate the nuanced nature of new encounters. If you are put off by the other person’s attitude that might prevent you from wanting to learn more about them.

Do not judge a book by its cover

Catherine Ivanova, a first-year student at AUBG offered a different perspective:

“First impressions are important, but I do not take them very seriously. I usually form my opinion from the second and third meetings when the other person is more comfortable being themselves,” she said.

According to her, people tend not to be themselves on the first meeting, because they are trying to make a good impression.

A student who preferred to stay anonymous shared a similar opinion. In their view, people are truly known when they have the chance to open up over time.

The role of stereotypes

According to research conducted by The Unstereotype Alliance, 73% of people often observe or hear instances of stereotyping. Based on those statistics one can anticipate that stereotyping is fairly common and almost natural.

Stereotyping and biases are at the foundation of human interactions whether people admit it or not. What is important is to be able to keep an open mind about others.

“I would not judge someone based on what others have told me, but I will also be careful in my interaction with that person,” Arthur said.

The student who preferred to stay anonymous shared: “Unfortunately, stereotypes not only have a place in our lives, but they also influence it.”

First Impressions at AUBG

AUBG is a multicultural university that takes diversity very seriously. It educates students to support each other no matter their differences.

The environment at AUBG perfectly illustrates how diverse the world is and teaches students to be accepting of everyone and their peculiarities.

Catherine shares this notion. For her, a person's morals and goals are what matters, not their upbringing.

During Orientation Week, when getting to know new students, the most important questions she asked her peers were “What brought you to AUBG?” and “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”.

Catherine’s attitude towards new encounters sets an example of how important it is to look beyond the surface, as people are so much more than they initially come across.

Editors: Vasil Paskov and Spasiela Gizdova