There is a big push in our world today to "fit in." The idea that everyone should be the same is pervasive. And I am not about it.
Especially in college, it is hard to maintain a true version of yourself. College campuses are full of clichés and stereotypes, and sometimes it is almost impossible to resist the urge to "go with the flow" and be your own person. But it is about the best thing you can do.
No matter what organizations you are a part of, what teams you play for, or what social groups you identify with, one of the most important things you can do is to be yourself. Dress the way you want to dress, act the way you want to act, and do the things that you want to do.
Sometimes it might feel like you do not fit in, but that is totally okay. Be the round peg in the square hole. Do not let anyone tell you how to "do you."
It is a lesson I have learned over the past few years as I have tried to develop a true self-identity. No matter what I tried, there was always a mold I had to follow in order to fit in. A lot of those molds just were not "me," though, and looking back, I am very glad I chose myself. I tried a lot my freshman year — I rushed, I tried new clubs, and I tried to submerge myself in everything that I could. I did not know what I wanted to be or who I was, but I resisted the urge to pretend to be someone who I knew I was not.
Looking back, it was the best decision that I ever made. My life today is wildly different than it was a year ago because I chose to write my own story and blaze my own path. I did not let anyone else decide who I was or would be. For me, that meant leaving full-time school altogether and beginning life in the "real world." For you, it could mean something entirely different. Everyone has a path that is all their own. I am a firm believer that finding your true path requires breaking molds. It requires figuring out you. Not being the same as your friends, but being 100% genuinely you.
No matter where you find yourself, if you do not know yourself, you will always question. Heck, even if you do, sometimes you will question. But that is okay. Finding you is no easy task, but I promise you that it is worth every bit of what it takes.
