We have all been there. Maybe you are making your way up Interstate 57, when a blue Impala with a lead foot zips past your blind spot and cuts you off. Did not even use his turn signal. Or maybe you and your friends have been waiting in the freezing cold in line at Firehaus, only to have a gaggle of coatless girls line jump because they know the guy standing in front of you. Or perhaps you are enjoying your daily walk to class, when some kid rams into you because he was too involved in his texting conversation to realize you were on the sidewalk, too. #Waytolookwhereyou’regoingjerk.

Jerks. We all know them. Sometimes we are them. The New Boyz wrote an entire song about them. And now, science tells us that being a jerk can be detrimental to your health. Time magazine recently cited a study in the journal “Psychological Science in the Public Interest” that collected data from millions of people, showing that those who are conscientious of others tend to outlive their miserly, mean-spirited counterparts.

How can researchers connect the dots between being rotten and rotting away faster? Many long-term studies have linked positive personality traits with a lower likelihood of a slough of illnesses, including diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, bone disease and tuberculosis. Cheerful people who have optimistic outlooks on life tend to take fewer sick days and have better general health overall.

Scientists admit that the studies cannot control everything, and therefore cannot take into account factors such as a person’s socioeconomic status, but the science behind the findings is compelling. If true, a person would presumably be able to take charge of his health and lifespan just by changing his mindset.

Suddenly, those manners your mama taught you hold a lot more value, especially after chivalry’s tragic demise, and you can see the truth in the phrase “Nice guys finish last.” Now, pausing extra long at that intersection and then giving the other car the right of way might actually extend your life and ward off diabetes! So go ahead, be courteous, and give that stranger in the other car the customary friendly little wave, like you are old friends. No, you go ahead. No, you. Flash your lights. They finally make the turn.

Arguably, it is a whole lot easier to be a jerk to somebody you do not know. This is what makes “people person” jobs interesting. Working in any kind of service job exposes you to a lot of people — the good, the bad and the ugly alike. I spent one summer working as a cashier at a liquor store, and I met a lot of people who, if the science of this study is accurate, will lead significantly shorter, disease-afflicted lives. My roommate Katy Kantner spent an entire summer working behind the counter at the DMV. Nobody likes going to the DMV. You can imagine the kinds of people she got to greet and do business with on the daily. Another summer I worked as an operator for a busy doctor’s office. People who cannot get through to make appointments or get their prescriptions refilled can be testy.

But it is experiences like that, when we have to turn the other cheek and be the bigger person. I think there is a bright side to every situation, and I refuse to let other people’s cynicism or sour tempers damper my mood. So when you get frustrated with your job of fielding calls all day because perfect strangers are giving you sass via phone, do not let their negative Nancy-ness affect you. Instead, take a cue out of my book, and turn the situation into one that allows you to keep an optimistic outlook. In my case, I ended up entertaining myself all day by answering the phone in different accents. With the exception of when the woman with the strong British accent asked what part of England I was from, I would say overall my summer was successful. And apparently, will help lead me down the road to longevity.

Kelly is a senior in Media.