As I am in a crowded room this year, full of bodies all around me, listening to music, I find myself doing one new thing, dancing. My freshman year of college seems like a lifetime ago, although it has only been two years. As a young and insecure 18-year-old, I would find myself in crowded parties slightly bending my knees, moving my arms, and calling that dancing. (If you move your body in this way, this article is not here to shame at all. Every way that you move your body when you are dancing is beautiful.) Although I was surrounded by a whole host of bodies doing different movements, I did not particularly think that dancing was my thing. I would hype my friends up while they moved their hips and circled around themselves but never saw myself doing the same until I reached my junior year of college.
After a night out with my close friends, I had participated in something I had never done before—dancing. Really dancing. Moving my hips, twirling around, and completely losing myself on the dance floor. Not one knee bent the whole night. Soon after, I had come to the realization that I had never danced before that night. Ever.
During this night, I was with my closest friends and we played Afrobeats. Each song would either take me back to when I was a child or a young teenager. It was like hosting a throwback listening party. During this party, I was truly able to fully express myself by dancing. Many factors brought me to this.
For one thing, it was my surroundings. After a night out with my friends, I realized that I was more comfortable with the people around me. I was not afraid that I would be judged. When you are in your freshman year of college, the people you surround yourself with may not be the best. I realized that with dancing comes a level of trust and comfortability with the people around you.
I also realized that in two years I had grown large amounts of confidence within myself. I am completely different from the way I was my freshman year. Not only do I wear different clothing, but I look up while I walk and take more confident strides, than I did before, on campus. During my freshman year, I was confused about what I wanted to do post-graduation and was still trying to figure out a major. Now, as a sociology major, I feel much more confident about the changes I want to make and the career path I want to take. With this in mind, I came to the realization that my confidence comes out on the dance floor.
Although I might not be the absolute best at dancing, I know that I feel great when I do! Expressing yourself is not about the outcome, but the process. Think about how you feel when you express yourself in an art form. Whatever you create will be beautiful — that’s because it is coming from you.
Remember how I was freshman year? I used to not dance but now I do. That’s what I said sitting in a dining hall two weeks ago with my friend Sarah. It almost made us cry. A task that seems so mundane and simple can end up being something beautiful.
Express yourself. Your art is beautiful, however you produce it. Whether dancing, painting, or singing. Do what you love and move the way you want to, surrounded by the people who love and care about you. It will make all the difference.
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