I’m not a big believer in adages. Shoot, I don’t even know what an adage is, but the old adage goes: First impressions are hard to break.

My first impression of Iowa State was that it has a beautiful campus. My first impression of the dorms was that they are stuffy places where every other person asks you if “you’re going out tonight.”

My first impression of the Lied Recreation Center was that it is an incredible facility with a lot of exercise equipment that I probably wouldn’t frequent too often. And my first impression of KCCQ was that it is a radio station with a play list of three songs.

I came to Iowa State, I don’t live in the dorms, I can count the number of times I’ve been to the rec on one hand, and every time I turn to KCCQ, I either hear “All-star” by Smashmouth or “Last Kiss” by Pearl Jam.

I guess the old adage holds true.

Mainly it is used in referring to the setting of a job interview.

When going to an interview, you want to be sure that you present a positive image of yourself.

You dress in your best suit. Guys do everything they can to make sure their nipples aren’t showing; girls do just the opposite. And you brush and floss your teeth two or three times to make sure there is nothing green between them.

The same applies with the first date. You wear your favorite shirt, spend an hour fixing your hair and check your nose in the mirror at least a dozen times to make sure it is clean.

These are all precautions we take to make sure we present ourselves in the best light possible. I’m not saying you wouldn’t get the job if there was something between your teeth, or that it wouldn’t be a fun date if there was something in your nose, but chances are that first image would be burned into the minds of those who saw you.

And I know what it’s like to have an image burned into your mind. It’s something that’s really hard to forget. Like a burn, it doesn’t heal quickly.

On the first day of class when I was a freshman, I sat behind a guy wearing a completely vulgar shirt. I’m not talking “Big Johnson” or “Co-ed Naked” — this shirt was truly offensive.

I don’t remember what class it was, what the topic of the lecture was or even if there were any cute girls in the class, but I do remember what that shirt said.

I knew nothing about the guy who was wearing it. He might have been a genuine person who just had some poor taste in clothing.

But immediately I formed a negative opinion of him. I’m not saying that’s right — in fact, I think it’s very wrong — but I couldn’t help it. My first impression of him was in that T-shirt, and it hasn’t left me.

Now, I’m not the best at face recognition, but I could still pick this guy out of a lineup any day of the week and twice on Sunday. (I really don’t understand that phrase, but I’m going with it.)

I still see him around a lot.

He seems to be a personable and likable guy, yet my negative feelings for him remain.

So the advice about first impressions could also be applied to school, especially since we are starting a new school year.

You are meeting new people, and people can be very perceptive.

You’d be surprised at what they pick up on.

So smile when you are walking to class or at least look positive. I can’t tell you how many people I see a day who look like they are on the verge of suicide.

Bad first impression. But the ones who are smiling really get my attention because they are few and far between. (Another phrase I’m confused about.)

And as far as classes go, there are a number of ways to make sure your professor has a positive first impression of you. Get to class on time, or maybe a little early. Sit at the front of the classroom.

Participate in class discussions.

I’m not saying you’ll ever get rewarded for this, but what could it hurt?

Unfortunately, we all know that the efforts we go to to make positive first impressions don’t last.

After the first week, you rarely wear your best suit to work; if you can get away with it, you don’t even wear a tie.

After the first week you rarely sit at the front of the classroom; if you can get away with it, you don’t even go.

And by the fourth date most guys are already letting their farts fly.

And I don’t mean to imply that first impressions can’t be changed.

I’ve heard numerous stories about a student who messed around the first half of the semester but surprised the professor by buckling down late to earn a good grade.

Or a husband and wife who hated each other the first time they met but have been happily married for years.

First impressions can be forgotten, but I promise you, it will take a lot of work.

The old adage goes: First impressions are hard to break.

It applies to all areas of life. Whether you are starting school, starting work, meeting people or anything else, people will remember that first impression.

And for the record, I just became the first writer ever to use the word “adage” five times in one column.

Now that’s a first impression.

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Jackson Lashier is a junior in English from Marshalltown.