Everyone struggles to find where they fit in. During my freshman year in highschool I strived to become a part of what I thought was the popular click. It actually wasn’t that difficult to get into the group because I had a few friends from grade school who were already in it. The so called popular kids though, were a bunch of bullies. They would tease and make fun of other kids just because they weren’t like us. Of course me wanting to fit in so much, gave in to peer pressure and made fun of those kids who never did anything to me. I did this all so I could say that I was part of the popular kids and sit with them during lunch. I didn’t really have anything in common with the popular kids, but I just wanted a place to fit in.
It wasn’t until I had classes with the kids that I would make fun of that I realized, they were actually the best people you could ever meet. I could actually be myself around them and they accepted me for everything I was. I regretted wasting a year with people who thought bringing others down was a way to have fun, and especially for making fun of people I can honestly call my best friends today. Ever since that first year in highschool I made sure to just be myself because being someone you’re not just leaves you with a feeling of hollowness. I also learned that people will like you more if you just be yourself. I’ve carried this mindset with me for a while now and I have no regrets about it. I can be honest with myself and others, and it gives me a good feeling knowing that I can be myself. If I could give one piece of advice to everybody it would be, to be yourself, the other pieces of the puzzle fit easier after that.
Oh and here’s an image that describes how I see myself:
How i see myself. A drawing my friend made of me.