You: the one sitting there in front of the computer screen reading this. You are not the girl to your left, and you are not the girl on your right. Look at them (don’t be creepy); look at them closely (don’t touch them!). They are simply who they are without even trying.

We’re raised to be who society wants us to be, and for Generation Z (us), that means to be different. We have societal influences everywhere due to the Internet, but the interesting thing is that most of us have grown up with people telling us to “be who you are”, rather than encouraging us to conform to societies wicked ways.

Being different, in our generation, is praised just as much, if not more, as being a young Farah Faucet was for the Millennials (our parents). I have a problem with this mindset, much to the contrast of the typical introverts, writers, creators, book worms, who are hidden within society’s folds. I believe that children should be left to develop their own personalities, their own ideas on their own.

Now, that does not mean that we should abandon our children to grow up without any sort of guidance (that would be dangerous). What I am saying, however, is that we should refrain from putting labels on this time of crucial development. I think telling kids to be different is just as bad as telling them to be copy cats, or wanna-be’s.

As a child, I often chose to dress differently and shop in different stores then the ‘popular’ girls in my school—Not because I didn’t want to be popular, but more so because I didn’t want to be like them. I wanted to be as different from them as possible. So much so, that I lost myself in the process. I tried so hard not to be them, that I wasn’t being myself either.

There’s no right or wrong way to grow up and find yourself, however, the pressures of society way much heavier than most people realize. The issue is that sometimes it’s not even society that ultimately pressures you, but yourself.

That voice in your head says “Be different. Be someone else. Be unique.” What I didn’t realize until I got older was that every single individual on this planet is already unique, just by existing. Without even having to change your hair color, the clothing you wear, or the things you like, you can be sure there will never be anyone who will be exactly like you.

There’s a reason we call ourselves “individuals”. We are the only person that will know exactly what we’re thinking and feeling; there will never be anyone else who will share the exact same experiences as you.

Just because there are others present at the party doesn’t mean that they had as great, or as bad (let’s hope not), of a time as you had. They didn’t have the same feelings course through their mind as you had as the constant pounding of the base shook your entire body. The idea isn’t too complicated, however, it’s a little difficult to understand.

What I’m trying to say is that attempting to be so different from what’s ‘socially acceptable’, is just as bad, if not worse, as trying to be the poster-child for society. Do want you want, what you feel, what you know, and as long as you are comfortable in your own skin, you are being who you’re meant to be.

All I ask to each and every one of you reading this is: are you comfortable with you? The answer should always be yes. If it’s not, figure out why, and don’t let society, or anyone for that matter, change you.