I try not to treat first impressions like final verdicts. People are complicated. Sometimes someone is nervous, guarded, exhausted, trying too hard, or just having the worst day possible when you meet them. I think reducing a person to a single moment is unfair… especially when I know I wouldn’t want my worst version of myself to become my permanent definition in someone else’s mind.

But intuition still matters to me. A bad impression can change with time. Bad energy usually just reveals itself more clearly the longer you stay around it. So yes, I’ll give people another chance if I feel there’s something genuine underneath the awkwardness or rough edges. But once my instincts start warning me consistently, I listen. I’ve learned peace is expensive, and not everyone deserves unlimited access to it.