Teenagers tend to be a fan of the saying, “don’t worry what other people think,” reblogging artsy pictures with the phrase on Tumblr and considering it worthy of an Instagram bio. And sometimes, you shouldn’t care. It’s important to let loose and have fun, but there is a time and place for everything.

As much as this fact is disliked, opinions matter, especially those of influential people. The attitudes of well-known figures have the power to sway nations. Just look at Donald Trump: his brash comments put him on top of the polls for the GOP presidential candidate.

On a more applicable level to high schoolers, the opinions of parents, teachers, administrators or any adult associated with them have a lot of leverage over our futures — from college to careers.

No matter how much we wish they wouldn’t, people (especially teens) are quick to judge, and quick to share. Before you’ve even talked to a person, you’ve likely already formulated some kind of opinion about them. You may have heard someone else’s opinion about them, or seen pictures of them, or casually Instagram-stalked them and based your own ideas off of a few perfected posts.

With constantly upgrading smartphones, nearly two-thirds of Americans have access to a camera. It is becoming increasingly simple to snap a quick picture or send a brief text, sharing slanderous information or images that portray you badly to the community. Grosse Pointe is so tightly knit and interconnected, that if one person hears something juicy, it spreads all the way to your history teacher.

High school plus technology builds a nest for hurtful information and a vehicle for it to travel by. We must be extremely mindful of the image we project to the world.

The route of our lives is often determined by certain people’s opinions about us. Think job interviews, college acceptances, leadership positions. If you are careless with your self-image, it may come back to bite you. You can never be sure of who knows who, or when you may need their support. In a survey that asked 43 colleges from the midwest (including all Big Ten universities), 67 percent admitted to Googling applicants, and 86 percent said that they research a student’s social media. No tweet or picture is entertaining enough to risk my future.

Be cautious of what you say, do and post. Always present your digital footprint in a positive light. And if you do hear something bad about a peer, do them a favor and keep it to yourself. The last thing you want is to have some big opportunity down the road be hindered by something you did in high school.