Maybe it's just me, but I am one of the many people on this earth who doesn't exactly fit in with the rest of my generation. Now breaking free from standards or common concepts is not anything new or groundbreaking; being different is actually pretty common if you think about it. However, the truth of the matter is that I don't want to fit in, despite the fact that I never really have.
For starters, I like to strike out in my own direction. I do that with all of my life's details such as appearance, interests, and hobbies. I don't intentionally avoid modern trends, but you'll never catch me listening to SoundCloud rappers either. Instead of wearing crop tops, you'll most likely find me wearing eighties related t-shirts like the one pictured above. As much as I enjoy experimenting with makeup, I can't admit to jumping at the idea of trying to paint my eyebrows like the Mona Lisa. Most of my generation hates writing, have always hated it and will probably continue to hate it for many years to come, yet here I am typing away like crazy.
What really sets me apart from people my age are my interests. I like to think that physically I live in the present, but mentally I'm stuck in 1985. Most of my pop culture references and tastes come from music, movies, and books from the 20th century. I listen to Duran Duran and The Doors like their songs are fresh off the radio. I watch John Hughes movies like they just came out in theaters. Maybe I don't watch "Rick and Morty", but at least I know their characters were influenced by Marty McFly and Doc Brown from "Back to the Future." While my imagination is very flexible, I do understand that one cannot live in the past, at least in every sense of the word.
I used to wonder if I held myself back for being the person I truly am. I wondered if maybe I was wrong for admiring singers like Blondie and Prince more than Demi Lovato and Post Malone. Was I sheltering myself? These flashes of doubt like lasted maybe a minute before I realized I am unashamed of who I am. I am thankful to not think in the same ways as many of the people in my generation because now I have constant opportunities to show them things I love, and they do the same for me.
I am unapologetically myself which is not something that every person can say. To me, the parts of life that I enjoy from the eighties and beyond are fresh and new, and they help me see life in a different way. I know some days I don't understand some of my friends' references to modern music or shows, nor will they understand how much I love people like Clark Gable. At the end of the day, enjoying what I love gives me freedom, and I am thankful to know people who accept me.
