There is a time in everyone’s life where all you care about is reputation, being popular, and appearance. I may only be seventeen, but I believe you should be more concerned about your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are and your reputation is only what people think you are. I’ve heard so many times from close friends the words, “well I don’t want people to think this or that.” In the end it’s good to have another person’s opinion but it should be your own that truly matters.
When I was in 7th and 8th grade I had a close friend who whenever I said anything she didn’t approve of, would look at me in disapproval and make me feel stupid for being myself. I wanted to fit in so bad that I began to stop being outgoing and independent just to please her. I followed her and around and copied her hair and clothing style. I will never forget how she always used to say, “don’t ever do that again.” I made the mistake of letting her control me because I cared so much of what other people thought. Nobody should ever be able to make you feel bad for who you are. Those who matter to you will like who you are and not try to change that.
The mistake I made by listening to this one insignificant girl caused a struggle and took me a while to realize and find myself again. After being someone I wasn’t for so long made life very difficult for me. I was doing things I would normally not do like talking bad about people all the time behind their backs and treating my family badly because that’s what my friend did. I cared so much about, “being cool” and, “fitting in” that I lost what really mattered to me. What do those things mean anyway? I didn’t want to be known as the weird awkward girl so I thought that by listening to her that wouldn’t happen. I was sadly mistaken and turned into someone I wasn’t. I finally came across someone that opened my eyes to how rude I was to people for no reason and how I cared so much about things that should mean so little. My parents and my sister tried to help but I mean come on, at the rate I was going why would I want to listen to them? He never gave up on me and I’ve been finally able to straighten out my priorities and find myself again. I was blind to how stressful and unhappy I was. I now see the beauty in everything and everyone.
Life is not worth wasting time caring about things that shouldn’t matter. My character is not the girl who caused drama and judged people because I had nothing else better to do and wanted to be, “cool.” I am now happy with whom I am and I can fill up my time with useful things, not talking bad about people. Of course I’m not perfect but nobody is. There is beauty in everyone and as long as you’re happy with whom you are that’s all that should count, not your reputation. This is what I believe.