It seems like everybody has at least one role model. Real or fictional, role models can portray a certain image, good or bad, on people.

But what actually defines a role model?

To me, a role model is just somebody you look up to; you do not necessarily want to be like them, but you want to have their mindset.

I think most role models today set a good influence on people and do not really encourage people to do wrong.

Even if your role models do not have good backgrounds, they still encourage people to do better than them and make different decisions.

The term role model has changed drastically throughout the years; many older people used to just look up to their parents as role models and not so much celebrities.

But times have changed, and people have all different sorts of role models. Many times they are not even celebrities.

Senior Zeric Hutchinson said a role model is someone who does not make you feel ashamed of yourself.

“A role model to me is someone who teaches you to not let anybody make you feel down and just be yourself,” Hutchinson said.

You also should never be ashamed about who your role model is.

No matter who they are, just make sure you learn from their mistakes and do not make the same ones they did.

But you should also make sure your role model does want you to do good, even if they do not know you.

They should spread a positive message to you and others and never make you want to do the wrong thing.

A role model necessarily does not have to be picked or labeled as a role model.

They just have to be someone you look up to and make you want to succeed like they did.