You’ve heard it, you’ve thought about it and you think you’ve seen it, but do you believe it? No, I’m not referring to the bearcat, though its cries can be heard far into the night, and if you have enough spirit, in your dreams.

I’m talking about hearing the dreadful accusation that “You’ve changed!” This much-repeated phrase insinuates that the accused has taken a turn for the worse. Well, like the wilted salad in the Dickinson Dining Hall, I don’t buy it.

It would take a lot of nerve to answer the age-old question, “Do people change?” in such a short article, so I’ll be reasonable and answer, “NO, absolutely not! Are you kidding me?”

You caught me; it’s not that simple. The truth is, because we are only in tune with our own brains, the only person we can sense change in is ourselves. Everyone else is a mystery.

Aside from a change of mood and the occasional shirt, nobody can distinguish if another has changed for the better or worse, despite how good he may look in blue. People gain the Freshman 15, be it from the free samples or the free weights, but there is no legitimate proof that they have “changed.” No, not even Facebook photos.

You can never fully know what somebody is going through. When you claim to detect changes in another, it is always from the perspective of an outsider.

Your friend may have visibly changed, but retained his same personality, reason and beliefs. He just as easily could have no observable changes to speak of, but be going through a life change that you are wholly unaware of.

As much as you may want to know another person, you can never understand someone completely.

How many times have you said something that was taken the wrong way? Even if you feel as if you’ve made your point, the other person can always view what you have said a little differently than you intended, based on their own past experiences.

So when you think people are straying from who they are, it is usually a matter of them moving away from your view of them. Often, this is a glorified perception of a friend, or an opinion of a friend you molded based on your needs in a companion — be it servant, stool, mother or dog.

Although most express concern about the person who has changed, it is often masked selfishness.

So, next time you’re considering telling somebody that they’ve changed, think about what feels different. Maybe it’s the relationship that’s changed, and therefore you could equally be at fault. Talk it out and try your best to understand. Even if the dynamic changed, you can always maintain the friendship, but maybe not the leash.

Now misconstrue all of my opinions and thoughts in your own head to the point that you come away thinking that I wrote about the economy, and read my next article thinking: “That financial columnist sure has changed.”