Something I have been told my entire life is to get outside. In the summer, when my eyes were tired, but the sun was bright, my mother would come tell me to go out, play with the neighbors, go to the park, You are not allowed back inside unless you need something for the next hour. An hour would turn to two, and soon, I would burst through the front door with one of my friends from the block, begging for a sleepover or to make a lemonade stand. I always groaned and resisted when she would tell me to get off the couch, but looking back, I am so glad I was not left sitting there.

This is a perfect example of the power of movement and how the most minor actions, like standing up and walking outside, can make a difference in someone’s day. I have always been an active person, and it has done so much for me over the course of my life. As middle school rolled around and the girl drama began, I would leave the conversations and play football, sand trap, or anything to get me moving and my mind away from the pointless acts to put others down. This can be a trend for anyone. The way fitness and movement are advertised is through scientific research on endorphins. When the body is in a high heart rate state, endorphins are released in the brain, giving the same feeling as eating candy or drinking water when thirst is heightened, and many people look for ways to release stress in a positive and healthy way.

Tying the two together, let us look at human behavior. Over the course of a human lifespan, there are three stages. Childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and elderly state. When you are a child, there is an unprecedented pattern for movement; no rules or patterns; you are just a kid. Playing in the yard and riding your bike. Now, as you get older and age into early and middle adulthood, movement is something you must build into your life. As it varies for everyone, most people will not be playing a professional sport or career. There is a time and a place where exercise and movement must be incorporated. Finally, as you move into the elderly stages of your life, due to physical and mental factors, movement slows down but still has the same effect.

No matter what stage of life you find yourself in, how many sports you play, or how much time you spend outside, you must understand how even insignificant amounts of physical movement can release endorphins in your brain to activate a calmer, less stressed state of mind. Nothing is more important than being able to concentrate on the priorities in life. Movement is powerful because it allows the mind and body to work in unison to do so.

Eyes meet eyes, a firm grip. Show that you care about the person you are shaking hands with. There are a lot of opinions when it comes to shaking someone’s hand and how different it would be based on the person. To me, the fundamentals stay the same: eyes meet eyes, firm grip, this equals respect.

You can tell a lot about someone by how they shake your hand. A strong handshake shows they are engaged in meeting or reconciling with you. A loose one shows the lack thereof. Eyes darting can implement the ideation that they have more important things to worry about or that there is some unimportance to meeting you. When I was growing up, there was always an upheld expectation of respect, and the start of that was shaking someone’s hand and shaking it well. When asking Howard Runyon to elaborate on this, he states, “I do not like that sort of limp handshake, a dead fish as to say. However, on the other end of that, someone who comes on with too much intensity has been raised to impress. Right in the middle seems correct to me, genuine, not forced.”

The mark of an intense handshake resembles force, whether that be physical or mental. A different feeling comes with someone who has a firm but well-intentioned handshake and comfort in their maturity, the elegance that proceeds with eye contact. It shows respect, and there is nothing more justifiable than feeling respected the first time you meet someone. Lily Pratt says, “I have met many people throughout my life, but when being approached with a firm handshake, I feel as though the person I am meeting intends to know something about me.” Along with Lily’s opinion, Autumn Kelly follows a similar one, stating, “There have been many instances where I have found myself in situations to meet new people, coming to Northwood being an example of that. When being able to shake someone’s hand, which was meaningful, I felt more welcome, thinking they found themselves wanting me there.”

Now, this being an opinion piece, the answers will continue to vary no matter who you ask. However, this is a theme, at least on the Northwood campus. A firm, well-intentioned handshake is a meaningful one. Make every introduction or goodbye meaningful.