A recent on-going conversation is that the first impression one has of another individual is the ultimate determinant of the other person is. I do not agree with this stance, as, first impressions are not the most appropriate way to judge person for a number of reasons, including unfortunate circumstances, and an outrightly pretentious trait.
An intial meeting with a person who had had a rough day, and encountered several unfortunate situations prior would almost never start off on the right foot. That does not necessarily mean they are awful or have repulsive attributes. They just had a rough start which is fairly understood. Oftentimes than not, an apology ensues in a second meeting. Furthermore, humans react differently to situations; That Mr. A encountered a challenging situation and is still able to power through does not mean that Mr. B would or should follow suit. Hence, a first impression should not be the determinant to one’s character.
In addition, it is a natural inclination of humans to bring their best foot forward in a first encounter. People tend to be kinder, more receptive, laugh exaggeratedly and smile wider on first meetings, in order to leave a positive lasting impression, most especially, if the encounter hangs on significant life-changing pedestal. This does not, however, imply that they possess positive attributes. They put on a facade while cascading their true nature. This, consequently, results to the other party potentially making regrettable decisions or poor judgement calls.
In conclusion, judging a person, based of on the first impression can be quite misleading. People should be given, at the very least, a second opportunity to prove themselves.