By Assoah Ndomo | Photographer

“Finders keepers” is a saying we’ve all heard since childhood. As kids, that phrase used to hold so much power because everybody was on the same playing field. As we grew older and people started hitting puberty, some could begin to take things by force. We started to see our placement in the power rankings, and we soon realized the saying didn’t mean anything after all.

What really allows somebody to claim something? Is it the fact that they were the first to discover it, or is it because they know how to use it to its full potential?

Now, let’s look at the reasons someone may take something from someone else. It’s either out of greed or out of need. Here’s the thing: No one takes something by force unless they really need it when they see someone else protecting it with conviction.

If I find a dog but I treat it poorly, do I really deserve that dog just because I found it? The next person could probably treat the dog better than I could, but since I was the one to find it, then it’s mine. In that case, would it not benefit the dog for the other person to take the dog away from me?

All in all, this fun phrase we used to say as children did not prepare us for reality. Whether you find something or not, people may take it away from you at any time for many reasons. It could be because they want it, need it or see that you are not taking care of it properly.

For college students, this is where we begin to grow our wings and start to make a name for ourselves. When we were kids, “finders keepers” was a way for us to defend our belongings and ideas. But now, if we’re going to claim something, we have to actively defend it with confidence.