We’ve all heard that overused Oscar Wilde quote “be yourself, everyone else is taken.” It’s something that we like to think we live by, but sometimes I look at the college students around me and get the sense that we’re all still trying too hard. The high school mentality where we needed to fit a stereotype or act a certain way so others liked us is still out there—don’t deny it, you’ve probably had moments where you’ve cared way more than you should about what someone thought about you. It’s okay to admit it because we all have; we all get wrapped up in trying to act “normal,” whatever normal is. Here are some reasons why you should just accept who you are!
First off, being weird just makes you, well, you! This is not high school. There is no popular crowd, you don’t need to try and be boring and normal to fit in at the coolest lunch table. It’s nearly impossible for me to go through my day without doing at least ten weird things, whether it’s noises, sayings, behaviors—you name it. At the end of the day, at least I can laugh at myself, and the people around me will get enjoyment out of it too! Being weird and goofy just shows that you’re comfortable in your own skin. You don’t feel the need to put on a show to impress people, which is something that can really stand out for a first impression. Whether it be a potential friend, or even a romantic partner, showing your true personality off the bat will make them value how open and carefree you are, making your personality more enticing.
Also, if you act a certain way to make people like you, you won’t fit in with the friends you make. When you first arrive at college, or any new experience for that matter, everyone has the same fear: not making friends. You feel like people aren’t going to like your personality, or just won’t understand you like your friends who have known you forever. So you act like someone you’re not, thinking that having the same interests and traits as them will make them like you. Well, sorry to break it to you, but it doesn’t work that way—you’ll end up becoming friends with a group of people that you don’t actually like or get along with deep down! I know that when I rushed my sorority, I didn’t want to put on an act during recruitment because I didn’t want to get into a house that didn’t accept me for who I was. I ended up finding an amazing group of girls who have some of the same traits as me, yet some different, but are all accepting at the same time. And why would you want to be friends with those people who judge you, anyway?
At the end of the day, haters gonna hate (sorry, I had to). You can’t please everyone, but you can please yourself. If you’re not being true to yourself, you will never find happiness in your life. College is the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself, find out who you are, and show your true colors. The world wasn’t meant to be full of robots, so if you’ve been holding back your weirdness, let it out! There are so many stereotypes out there that we feel like we have to live by: pretty, skinny, fashionable, perfect, cool (whatever that means). Not one person on this planet can fit all these descriptions, because they’re basically unattainable. So stop caring about what everyone around you thinks and just live by your own rules! If you like that weird sweater with a giant cat on it, wear it! If you want to cut all your hair off but think that only long hair is considered pretty, freaking do it—it’ll show the true beauty of yourself.
And remember,
Because who wouldn’t want to walk around with a large monster mask on?