What is an opinion? The answer shifts with time, perspective and ironically, opinion itself. We’re all told to have one and to create conversation beyond small talk. Opinions are the foundation of connection.
Writing opinion columns for the past year has made me see them in a different light. 700 public words every week — all a collective synchronization of my inner monologue — have forced me to confront what I actually believe, not just what sounds good on paper. It is one thing to have thoughts in the privacy of your own mind; it is another to commit them to a page and stand behind them. The space between thinking and writing, consequently, has taught me that to form an opinion is to reveal how one notices, interprets and chooses to participate in the world around them.
Today, opinions carry a different weight. In a world where politics shapes what people see and algorithms shape what they don’t, opinions often feel divisive rather than illuminating. They’re treated as lines that separate people, not ideas that help us understand each other. The more certain we feel, the less willing we are to step back and ask why we think the way we do. Many will cling to opinions the way people cling to routines as they mimic a similar safety.
True critical thinking relies on the mere act of slowing down long enough to challenge our initial instincts, our reactions and the unseen influences guiding our beliefs.
Opinions live not in the moment we state them but in the moments we’re willing to revise them. They shift with new information and grow with conversation, often contradicting what you might have previously believed. What we think at 17 might embarrass us at 20. What we were certain about last fall might feel entirely different a semester later. That change is not a weakness but evidence of growth.
Some might argue that constantly re-evaluating your opinions shows indecision. That changing your mind reveals a lack of conviction. However, the opposite is true. Conviction without self-reflection restricts growth, which requires the courage to correct your own assumptions, especially when the world around you changes. An opinion should not be a permanent address, rather a thought you’re willing to leave in the face of new information.
I used to dread the idea of coming to UT. Yet, the longer I’ve been here, the more I see how wrong I was. From new communities to unexpected opportunities, each one reshaped a belief I once held firmly. Perspectives change. People change. Our opinions are meant to evolve along with us, as the goal isn’t to be right all the time, but to stay open enough to grow.
In the end, an opinion is not a destination but a reflection of who we are in a given moment. It’s a record of what we’ve learned, what we’ve questioned and what we’re still aiming to understand. When we allow our perspectives to evolve, our opinions can evolve from less about proving we are right and more about becoming thoughtful participants in the world around us.
Maybe that’s the real purpose of an opinion — not to end a conversation, but to start a deeper one.
Vazquez is a journalism sophomore from Monterrey, Mexico.
