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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oswego chapter.

I’ve always thought of myself as a confident person in the sense that I realize my worth and I know what I deserve.  I’ve always recognized my positive traits, but I’ve never considered how others see me. I’ve always assumed that everyone saw me as just another person, or didn’t like me at all for whatever reason.  Only very recently have I realized that other people are actually able to like me and appreciate the effort I make in my everyday life.

Let me put it plainly.  Everyone deserves to be around people who constantly reassure them and recognize their worth.  While self-love is important as hell, so is accepting the admiration of others. I pray you all already realize how special you are, and that you have a person or a handful of people who agree with you on how special you are.

Are you getting it?

I never realized how comfortable I was with being mistreated and treated like I’m nothing special until a couple of people (and one very special person) came into my life and started complimenting me regularly.  Even though I’ve always been aware of my positive traits, when someone else points them out I don’t know how to act. It actually makes me a little sad how unable I am to properly accept a compliment. Every time someone shows me some love I am so caught off guard and embarrassed.  I’ve been constantly reminded of my worth for weeks now and I still cannot believe someone else can see what I see in myself.

It shouldn’t be like that.  I should’ve known all along that if I had the right people in my life, they would’ve loved me as I love me.  

The people you keep close should openly love you as deeply as you love yourself.

Beware of who you keep around and really focus on whether or not they make you feel good about yourself.  Not only that, but do they make you feel good about who you are and what you do? Do they remind you that your mind is beautiful and appreciated?

Surrounding yourself with people who don’t make you feel special and important is detrimental to your mental health, regardless of how much you love yourself.  You can love yourself flawlessly and still feel mediocre because of the people around you. No matter what you have been led to believe, you deserve more. You may think everything is fine and you may be content with how you’re being treated, but honestly, deep down, you know there’s more out there for you.  There are people out there that will love you and see the good in you, find them and keep them close.

We all deserve to feel special.  We are all so fucking special.

 

Kailey is a Senior who double-majors in English and Adolescent Education. She has been a writer from the time she could hold a pencil and an aspiring teacher since 1st grade. She currently substitute teaches at a preschool and hopes to teach ELA and Creative Writing to high schoolers in the future. Kailey is an fervent reader, runner, and yogi who is happiest when laughing with loved ones or eating something full of sugar!
Melissa Lee

Oswego '19

CC Melissa is a senior journalism major with a double minor in creative writing and political science at SUNY Oswego. She loves music, makeup, dogs, and napping. 95% of the time she can be found drinking way too much coffee or finding new music on Spotify.