What’s Up Gossip Grief,

Ugh, this is awful and I’m sorry it’s happening to you.

You should be able to trust your friends to keep your secrets. Next time you probably won’t trust that particular friend.

The best thing you can do when rumors and gossip about you get out of control is do your best to shrug it off and look like you don’t care. It’s SO HARD, I know. But the bigger deal you make of it, the more people will talk about it. If you’re just “whatever” about it, it’s more likely to blow over sooner. People will move on to other things.

But it’s really important to remember that even when the rumors and gossip move on to someone else, they’re still hurting somebody! They’re even hurting you, because if you’re a part of making rumors and gossip okay in your school, then they’re going to talk about YOU too, eventually.

So, here are some things to keep in mind for stopping the rumors. And maybe you can discuss these guidelines in your friend group and try to help each other remember not to do these things.

1. RULE #1: Don’t assume something is true unless you’re hearing it directly from the source. Even if something is true, that doesn’t mean it’s okay to spread it around.
2. RULE #2: If you wouldn’t say something in front of someone, don’t say it behind their back.
3. RULE #3: If you wouldn’t say something to/about someone in person, don’t say it online.
4. RULE #4: Whenever you’re about to pass along a rumor or a juicy bit of gossip, think about how you feel right now. How would you feel if you were the target of this particular bit of gossip? It can feel really good and powerful to be in the know, but is it worth the hurt you might cause?

Have you ever been the target of gossip? Have you ever spread rumors? Tell us about it in the comments.