This I Believe

Growing up in a small town hasn’t always been easy for me. First of all, have you heard of the cliques that plague high school? Yes, even in small rural areas they continue to dominate any, if not all of the social status. As for the whole social class and rankings things; I’m just like any other person in line trying to get an education. I guess you could call me normal? I don’t want to be in one of these cliques; I’d rather be different and stand out amongst my classmates as the guy who anyone can come to with problems.

Going through my preschool, elementary, and junior high school, the people I grew up with all acted like normal people; it didn’t matter what kind of clothes we wore, how many crayons we ate, how many supplies we had for art class. We all took the same subjects and the same materials to class. Then comes elementary school, everyone still acts the same, but in a more mature manner than our preschool years. Finally, we get to our junior high school years and the maturity level has greatly developed, our bodies goes through some changes and by the time we reach high school, our whole personality has changed, with limitless possibilities.

High school, freshman year, our whole student class is challenged. Our class is maturing and we are caught in the middle. Friends of ours since we’ve been in preschool, all of a sudden break off, leaving us left holding the bag. Do we follow them and be just like any other superficial student who walks through our high school’s doors, or do we break off on our own path? The person we become will be our choice, so I take the option of being myself, not being forced into society’s “dreamâ€? of perfect.

While we are in high school, it seems we’re always being judged by what brand we wear, how much we spent on our brand new jeans with holes in the knees, what cologne or perfume we’re wearing. Seriously, if you want a pair of one hundred dollar jeans, give me ten dollars and I’ll get a cheap pair of pants and work the holes into them. Excuse me if I’m wrong, but is this really what high school is about? No, high school is about getting the start of our education, it is where we determine and define our future. It’s the start of a brand new life, we’re not going to be remembered by what clothes we wore, it’s what we do in life that will define us.

So yes, I believe that I am different, I don’t fit into one clique, I place myself in all of the cliques. They accept me for who I am. The choices we now make in college will further establish own characteristics. This I believe, I chose to be different, and you can be different too, and in that choice my unique individuality is taking shape.