Dedication: Dedicated to my parents, the awesome people who raised me.
Weird. That mostly sums up my social life struggles growing up as a girl. Weird. My family is “weird”, my laugh is “weird”, my sense of humor is “weird” and my personality is “weird”. When I was in middle school, I thought that was a bad thing. I was embarrassed of myself for not being able to fit in and had so little confidence that the idea of trying to make friends terrified me. In high school, I embraced my weirdness a little more. I liked it, but it didn’t seem that any of the boys I had crushes on did, so I tried to suppress it and be normal to get guys to like me. But no matter how hard I tried, my “weird” personality would come bubbling to the surface and ruin everything. Or so it seemed.
I chose to go into college full force with all my weirdness and personality, and I decided to do it confidently. I introduced myself to anyone next to me and tried new experiences even when I didn’t know anyone there. I would sit down, turn to my left and my right, and make two new friends at a time. And here’s the crazy part: It worked. Apparently, having a fun and “weird” personality was actually awesome. Accepting myself and showing my personality gave me the best years of my life (so far). I got to know people so different from me and built my closest friendships. And know what else? I met the love of my life and my now husband while I was being exactly who I am on the inside, not someone trying to “fit in”.
I’m not saying that all troubles magically disappear in college, or at any specific point. But I so wish I had realized sooner in my life that my weirdness = my beauty. It wasn’t how I laughed (which some have compared to a sheep) the way I dressed or the group of people I hung out with. I love my personality! It’s what makes me who I am, and I am amazing!
So to anyone who thinks that being “weird” or “different” is a bad thing, it’s not. It’s amazing! Life is too short to try to be “normal”. And what’s weird to one person may be normal to someone else! I spent so much time worrying about what other people thought of me when I should have been enjoying my life with the people I love and doing the things I’m passionate about. Embracing who we are doesn’t have to be some huge or sudden event, it begins with accepting ourselves and loving the qualities that make each of us unique. We are each amazing in our own way!
Sincerely,
A Weird Girl Named Bree
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