Since I was very little, I have always had a strong sense of who I am and who I want to be. I fight for what I believe in, but since when did that become a bad thing? The issue today is that everyone thinks they should always be doing what everyone else is doing. But why? To get into the party with a hundred people who don’t even know your name? To get more followers on social media? I would rather be the funny girl with a brain than the girl that goes to every party and puts pictures on social media that her dad would be mortified to see.
Some people view me as stubborn, but for me personally, I call it my values. So you’re telling me I should do what she is doing because of all attention she’s getting? Yeah thanks, but no thanks.
Some can call it being a feminist, but I call it standing on my own two feet. Girls today look for the man that will give her attention, even if that means lessening the woman she is. I can open my own door, I can be appreciative when you do, but I can do what you can do. The biggest mistake you will make as a woman is listening to that man who says you are too much of one thing. Whether that’s smart, independent, strong, beautiful, or too much woman—you better drop that child really quick, because he is certainly not man enough. If a man can’t handle all of you, then frankly, you need to keep looking until you find the one that can.
Stick to what you want. Don’t rush into something because it’s what everyone else has. Be you. If someone accepts and loves all that you are, that is different. It may sound old-fashioned, but I think we have all gotten lost in the culture of being “the next big thing” or “getting to the top.” If you can be yourself and be genuinely happy, isn’t that already bringing you to the top? You shouldn’t have to forget about what you stand for just to be someone else’s idea of what you should be.
Step out of your comfort zone and push yourself to be better than before, but don’t ever go against what you believe in.
- Be there for your friends—that means listening, not just talking, and dropping everything when they need you.
- Family over everything—you hurt my brother, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, or grandparents, and you’re in trouble.
- Respect yourself—never hurt yourself physically or emotionally, love who you are.
- Be genuine to everyone you meet—even those people that you don’t think deserve it.
- Give everyone respect until they give you a reason not to—make your own judgments on a person, but not before getting a chance to hear their story.
- Smile every chance you get—those wrinkles you have when you’re older will highlight the happy life you’ve lived.
- Do what makes you happiest.
- Never do something you don’t want to because you’re afraid of losing someone—if it’s meant to be it will be.
Being the typical college girl may get you the attention and guy “friends,” but in the end, you won’t be the true you. Come graduation day, do you want to have a thousand pictures of people you don’t have a true relationship with or a thousand memories with your future bridesmaids? I promise when you choose to be yourself, eventually everything comes together. Not only do you get to stand on your two feet proud, but also so do your family and friends.
So dare to be different from the crowd, and trust in you.
