Despite contrary belief, not all young women are in college to get their “MRS.” We have big dreams, and being a stay at home mom is not #1 on the list. Thank you, anyway.
When I proudly chose where I wanted to spend my college days (aka: the best four years of my life), an overwhelming amount of people said, “Oh, that’s where girls go to get their MRS. Degree.” Excuse me, a what? A Masters in Radioactive Science?? You must be mistaken, sir. No, what they meant is, “You’re going there so you can meet a rich guy and get married and live the “good life” of cooking, cleaning, and watching soap operas all day."
But I am here to tell you; I am not in college to get my “MRS,” or to get “wifed up,” or to learn how to be a certified housewife. These phrases are incredibly degrading and discouraging to hear. Do you actually think I am that shallow?
I am in college for so much more than those things, but once upon a time, there was a point when I didn't stand against these stereotypes. I let people say these things to me, and eventually I started to believe that I was good for nothing but an MRS. degree.
I let myself believe that I couldn’t be successful on my own.
I gave in. I gave in to society and social norm. The "joke" actually became something I accepted.
It is hard for me to think I was once so gullible, but society is a powerful beast that only the strong willed can defeat. What changed me, though? I would love to say I finally woke up one day and smelled the roses, but it wasn't quite that simple. To grasp my personal worth, I had to be knocked down and thrown in the dirt a few times. It wasn't until then that I realized how important independence is in this terrible, socially destructed world.
It’s scary how easily we can be swooned by society into degrading ourselves. As women in this world, we need to remember how incredibly powerful we are and learn how to stand strong against demeaning stereotypes. Never, ever forget to...
- Love yourself. You don’t always need someone by your side to be complete.
- Be Confident. Stand up, rock the show, and OWN IT, sister. You're the bomb diggity.
- Be smart. Don’t hide what ya got here…You're always smarter than you believe.
- Speak up. You have so many beautiful thoughts. Don’t be afraid to share them.
- Find your passion. Nothing is more powerful than a passionate woman.
- Work hard. Women can work harder than men. Don’t let people tell you differentl
- Have goals. Don’t just settle for the MRS degree. Have a goal in life, and go chase it.
"Your self-worth is determined by you. You don’t have to depend on someone telling you who you are." -Beyonce
