Put yourself in someone else’s shoes
Poster:
“Before you judge me take a look at you,
can’t you find something better to do?
Point the finger, slow to understand
that arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand.”
“Before you judge me, try hard to love me.”
Have you traveled my past?
Lived my memories?
Have you walked my footprints?
Then don’t judge me
When have you felt my emotions?
Bared my heartache?
Suffered my anguish?
Who are you to judge me?
Have you witnessed what I have?
Have your ears heard the same?
No?
Then please,
Don’t Judge Me
This station is all about putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, and thinking about a
situation from a different perspective. Without knowing about someone’s past or the
experiences they have gone through that person has no right to be judged. These are
poems and quotes by girls who have been judged and want to spread the message of how
hurtful it is when people judge you before they even know you.
[Read the quotes and poems on the poster].
I am sure you guys have all felt the same or have been in a similar situation. Everyone
has their own issues, whether it is about health, friendships, family, relationships, or
struggles, everyone has them. Don’t be so quick to judge the popular girl; she has
insecurities of her own. Don’t be so quick to judge your lazy teacher; she has hardships
of her own at home. Don’t be so quick to judge the shy girl; her past relationship has
made her hesitant to meet others. Don’t be so quick to judge the bully, the experiences
she has had in her life cause her to put on a tough front and make herself feel good by
putting others down.
The girls in Gossip Girl may seem like their lives are perfect and they have everything
and anything they could ever want in life, but in reality there is so much complexity to
their pasts and so much drama in their lives. While people may envy their looks or their
lifestyles, if they saw the hardships and drama involved in their lives, maybe they would
think twice.
Take a look in all of the shoes and see the different situations of the characters in the
Gossip Girl T.V series. [Take turns having different girls pick a shoe and read the
situations out loud, when they are done they should fold up the paper and put it back in
the shoe.]
[Have a discussion for the remaining time. Discussion questions:]
1) Have you ever judged someone and later found out that you were totally wrong
about them?
2) Have you ever been understanding of someone’s situation because you looked at
the situation from their eyes?
3) What do you think it really means to “walk in someone’s shoes”?
Jenny Humphrey
Jenny seems like a popular wannabee. She is a pretty, sweet, innocent freshman. She is
always desperately trying to fit in with the “it” crowd. She does everything she can to fit
it, even if it means stooping to their level and acting just as they do. Jenny even does
chores for them including making invitations for a party only so that she could be able to
go. She may seem desperate to be popular, but in reality she is surrounded by rich kids
who live a lavish lifestyle and she feels insecure coming from a humble household, and
she wants nothing more than to fit it and be accepted.
Blair Waldorf
Blair is the Upper East Side's beautiful and popular Queen Bee, with a great sense of
style, long, glossy brown hair, and her trademark headband. Blair is the most popular girl
at school until her longtime friend Serena comes back in town. Serena used to be the
most popular before she went away. Now that she is back Blair is very insecure and they
have a power struggle between them. She becomes very jealous and manipulative, even
to her best friend. She tries to sabotage Serena’s chances of becoming popular again,
because Blair realizes that without her popularity, she is nothing. Her family is broken;
her dad lives in France and is in a gay marriage, and her mother is very cold and cruel.
Blair concentrates her time with materialistic things and obsesses herself with
relationships and being popular, because she feels as if she has nothing else in her life to
make her happy.
Serena van der Woodsen
Serena is best friends with Blair and is known as the party girl. She often gets herself into
trouble and puts herself in dangerous situations. She has so many hardships going on at
home, and tries to cover them up with drinking, partying, and guys. These things take her
mind off of the thoughts of her family circulating her mind; her brother almost
committing suicide, her mother’s divorce and new relationships, and her recent return to
Constance Billard Prep. Though she spends a lot of her time partying, she makes sure to
visit her brother in the hospital and make sure that he is okay. She also protects Jenny
from being hurt by Blair. Serena is a good friend, but is misjudged because of her
partying past. She is trying to change her reputation, but her past keeps haunting her and
she does not know how to change it, people just misunderstand her.