It's hard to know what to make of first impressions. First of all, they're often based primarily on appearance, which is problematic because appearances can be extremely misleading, especially if you're basing someone's entire personality and quality of character on how they look. On the other hand, sometimes a first impression is all you get, so it's logical that people will assume things quickly about you, even if their evaluations are based on a cursory amount of information or interaction. What's so fascinating are the times when I've completely written off people based on my first impressions of them, and after getting to know them I realized what great people they are. I'm sure that experience resonates with many other people out there. The question is, how often are first impressions correct, or at least pretty close to the mark?
Moral of the story? Do your best to make a first impression, but don't beat yourself up if others don't see the real you after a brief encounter. It's also wise to remember that even if you're not initially enamored with someone after meeting them, at least give them a second chance. It's helpful to have additional evidence before deciding what you think someone is really like.
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