Being from such a small town everyone was in my business. It didn’t matter who it was, someone heard something. It was constant, I always felt I needed to act a certain way and be a certain person to fit in with everyone else. In high school, I would be so anxious about everything I did. I thought of everyone else but myself, what would people think of me? How would think look to to my reputation? The opinions of others was the most important to me. I figured, maybe I am a people-pleaser, but that is so far from the truth. I didn’t think there was anything else out there other than what was in my town.
In college I was able to branch out, meet new people, have been experiences. It was refreshing to talk to people who came from different backgrounds than me. It was nice to meet people who had different experiences in life than I had witnessed. It made me a more well-rounded person. It changed my views on ideas, people, places, and religion. I began to create my own identity and discover who I was, what I stood for, and what I wanted to do in life.
I would never change where I came from or what I went through. It made me who I am. I’ve learned now that the opinions of others are not important and who cares what people do. I no longer feel anxious in social setting or feel like I need to uphold a persona around others. I’m truly me and that’s the most important thing.
