Dear collegiette,
Some of us have had a wonderful adolescence experience, others may have it had pretty medicore, but theres a handful of us that may have had it rough. There is nothing wrong with any of these. Who you WERE is definitely a part of you, but it’s just one of the steps to shape you into the person you will be for the rest of your life. Contrary to what many people believe, your past does not define who you ARE now.
Whether you were her
Her
Or him
I’m from a very small town and I literally grew up with the same people from preschool to my senior year of high school. I often felt like an outsider in this small group of people. I looked different, my family was different, my beliefs were different, my opinions were different, my interests were different; EVERYTHING about me was opposite from my peers. Yet, I masked it and pretended to be someone I wasn’t just to please the society I was around. However, it did not matter how hard I tried, I still was teased and excluded. I was a victim of bullying from fifth grade to freshman year of high school. And while the bullying was not nearly as bad as some people’s situations; it still hurt. I remember sitting in my freshman homeroom and absolutely hating my life. But I also remember it was that same homeroom that I had an ephiphany: “I can dye my hair any color, wear any kind of makeup, any kind of clothes; but nothing will change how people treat me. So why not just be myself?” So I did that. But even after I overcame the bullying and started becoming more of myself, that baggage stayed with me.
When college started I brought that baggage with me. I assumed that I would still have to remain on the surface with friends I made. I told myself I wouldn’t let them know what I had been through. What I didn’t know then is that college is a whole new chapter. In college you can be who you want to be. You can be friends with who you want to be friends with. You can join whatever club you want. You can do whatever activitiy you want. You can pursue your passions. It’s time to put high school behind and move on. Life will never become easier if you dwell in the past. The difference between worrying about the past versus the future is simply that the past cannot change. It is over and done with. No matter how hard you cringe when thinking about it, it cannot disappear. However, your future can change. We all have control over our lives, whether we want to admit it or not. Your happiness is in your own hands. So use it to shape a better life for yourself. Think of your past as a big lesson. You take it in, learn from it, and know how to make future situations different.
Fast forward to now, I am a junior in college that is majoring in something I love. I have amazing friends that accept me for who I am. I am an involved leader on my campus. A few years ago I would have never believed I would be here, and I promise you can be here too. Just remind youself, who you were is not who you are anymore.
You are a strong, independent, and beautiful collegiette that is going to amazing things one day [and probably already is]!
HCXO