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Sign that reads “you are worthy of love”
Sign that reads “you are worthy of love”
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SBU | Life > Experiences

It IS You, Babe

Natalie Merrill Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If anyone else’s Tik Tok for you page is like mine, you’ve probably been seeing videos to the song “It Ain’t Me, Babe” by Bob Dylan. These videos are usually young women singing along to the lyrics “I am not the one you want, babe” and captioned with something about their insecurities in relationships. These insecurities range from being from an unstable family, to being plus sized, to being loud and opiniated. The theme that I see apparent throughout the trend is women asking themselves the same question that many of us have stayed up late thinking about: Am I worthy of love?  

I’ve been a loud and opiniated woman from a young age. I have always struggled to silence myself. I spent my teenage years wishing I could learn to just bite my tongue sometimes, and stop being so…much. Teenage angst filled me. If I could just water down my personality, maybe then guys would start looking at me for things other than just homework answers. If I could make myself quieter, less, maybe then I could be a part of the popular friend group.

I spent so much time thinking that I was too much for people. And to be completely honest, I have been told on more than one occasion that I am too much (my freshman year friends know exactly what text I’m referring to). I will never be every person’s cup of tea, and that’s okay. Because over time, I found MY people. The people that think I’m just right, without any watering down or lessening of who I am. And that’s when I realized, these are really the only people that matter. 

My roommates, who will laugh and sing as loud as they can with me no matter where we are. I am never afraid to be loud around them. My Pink girls, who will listen to even my craziest of thoughts and validate me and make me feel heard. No censorship exists when I’m perched in my spot on their living room couch. All those who take part in Nat at Nite and who embraced it so much from the beginning, making me feel seen. Every friend who makes me feel like I can be 100% myself around them: Kristen, Maygha, Diana, Carter, Aidan and so many more. And of course, Hayden, who loves me even when I am so much, I don’t know what to do with myself. These are the people that made me realize someone will love me the way that I am. I am not too much.  

To the women who have participated in that trend, or the ones that relate to it, know that there are people who will love you in your entirety. You do not have to assume that you are not enough, or too much, for somebody to love. You will find the people that make you realize you are just right. So, stop saying it ain’t you, babe. It IS you.  

“Someone will love me the way that I am”.

“the way that i am”, Abby Powledge
Natalie Merrill

SBU '25

Natalie, or Nat as most know her, is a new member of Her Campus at SBU! This is her first year in the chapter, and she looks forward to using Her Campus as a way to express herself and rediscover her former love for writing.

In May 2024, Natalie graduated with her bachelor's in history with minors in political science and Spanish from St. Bonaventure after three years. She is continuing her education and receiving her master's in adolescence education during what would be her senior year. As an undergrad, she was President of College Democrats, involved in University Ministries and held two jobs on campus. She is currently working as a graduate assistant with the student success center, teaching a FRES 100 class to 14 freshmen and meeting with them each week to help ensure their success in college.

Outside of her professional career, Natalie enjoys anything that involves breakfast and coffee. She can talk anyone's ear off for hours on end, and frequently does so with her best friends. Her passions include anything to do with the city of Buffalo (go Bills), politics, her study abroad experience in Oxford, England and her early 2000s camcorder.