What is normal? I found myself asking this question a few nights ago. I was having a bad pain night, and I asked my mom the question "why can't I be normal." Thinking back to it though, I realized that no one is normal. There is not set definition on what you can or cannot do to be a "normal" high schooler, so how do we define this?

When considering this question I had a very lengthy thought process that brought me to the conclusion that everyone has their own normal. When looking at kids in my grade I thought to myself, "is playing softball normal, or is volleyball, or are none of these."

The truth is that no one knows. Each of these people has different interests and paths, yet we have a yearning to fit in and be "normal."

Since then I have come to the conclusion that everyone has their own normal. The constants in your own life are your own world of normal, and when these constants are altered you form a new definition of normal. Being happy and confident about where you are at in life may be a normal for some of you, or being in constant pain may be normal for others, but these differences make us who we are. I know that this is constantly preached, but sometimes being your own person is your best option. You may try to conform to another person's "normal", but this completely disregards who you are as a person.

My definition of normal definitely changed this January when I became sick. At that point in time I began to show early symptoms of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which since then has progressed. This turned my "normal" from cheer practices to doctors appointments. I know that I will never get over the grief of what could have been, but I do feel like I have found my new normal.

My new normal may include dislocations, doctors, and lost friends, but it also includes special education, community service, coaching cheer, politics, and many other positives. Many others out there have experienced this change in normals as they go through the roller coaster of life. There are ups and downs, but we all seem to make a place for ourself eventually.

The thing that kills me about the word normal though is how it can cause people to not be accepting of differences. At my high school we have a campaign called #vhgive where we teach students how to be kind to each other. While this is an amazing program and message, this should not have to be taught. The sad realty is that most people out there are not accepting of others' differences. They expect others to conform to their definition of normal and when they do not, they pick on these kids.

This message is constantly preached to people, but I do not think that we ever truly grasp the definition of normalcy. Dictionary.com defines normalcy as typical state, or a usual occurrence. I am now applying this definition to conclude that what is typical for someone is their "normal", but this will vary from others's "normal" because we are all individuals.

I am calling all of you out there to do two things after reading this article. First, accept others's differences, and realize that not everyone in this world will conform to your definition of normal. Second, be your own person. Please take out of this that everyone is different, and you should not be conforming to archetypes that are forced upon you. I urge you all to just be yourself, and you will find your path, or "normal," eventually.