I've never really been afraid of being myself. I often find myself siding with the unpopular opinion when it comes to some of society's norms. I'm not saying you should be like me, but I am saying it's okay to be yourself, especially if that means defying some of these social norms.

1. Not talking to strangers.

I love talking to strangers. I mean, even the best of friends start out as strangers, right? I can be found complimenting the person's shoes as I walk past them and talking to the person next to me in line at the grocery store. You'd be surprised by the amount of people who are actually taken aback that a stranger is talking to them. But hey, I'm outgoing and always looking for a good laugh, even if it's amidst a casual conversation with a stranger.

2. Not asking people on dates.

Due to the fact that I'm a girl living in this messed up dating world, this is a constant battle. Do I casually date? Do I ditch the whole dating fantasy and just get to know guys in frat basements? Should I even expect guys to ask me on dates? I've always been a firm believer that even as the girl in the relationship there is nothing wrong with asking a guy to meet up for lunch or soberly hangout. Although our generation makes it seem impossible, I believe dating is important and fundamental to figuring out not only what I want, but also what I don't want. Contrary to popular belief, I think it's awesome to be that person that asks someone about their day and their goals instead of being someone who hits people up with that "WYA?" text at midnight.

3. Not justifying actions.

I understand that I don't owe people constant explanations, but I am not a fan of ghosting. People are so temporary these days and it isn't uncommon for people to just disappear out of people's lives without an explanation. I've heard so many friends talk about how "he just went MIA, I don't know, I guess he found someone else." Like no, why has society accepted the fact that people don't need to communicate with each other? It's like society has decided that if you ignore an unresolved conflict between people that it will eventually disappear, blow over or somehow get better. I like to know where I stand with people, so I often find myself justifying my actions and explaining where my head is in certain situations. People have different reactions when I do this, but my reaction is always the same. I would rather talk things out than take the easy, typical way out. Plus, it helps me sleep better at night.

4. Not drinking out of the bottle.

Hell to the yes, I drink out of the bottle. Or even the bag in some cases. I deserve me time, and so do you. If "me time" consists of movies and a bottle of wine, do it! I'm honestly not sure why this is so frowned upon anyway, like what's the difference between drinking 4 glasses or drinking out of the bottle? Either way, you're drinking the whole bottle. The way I look at is it that there's just less dishes to do afterward.

5. Not double texting.

If I had a penny for every time I heard someone say "well, I want to talk to him, but he didn't reply. I can't double text him" I would be rich. Although this is frowned upon, if I want to talk to someone, I do it. I don't let other people's actions prevent me from doing something I want to do. I even triple text sometimes and if I'm feeling super annoying I'll send all my words as different messages, which can lead to quadruple texting.

6. Not doing the things that scare you.

The fear of failing has never held me back. I hope it doesn't hold you back either, even though society has set guidelines for where you need to be in life according to age, gender, etc. Let that go, make yourself happy, and do something that scares you. These types of leaps have the greatest benefits and lead to amazing opportunities.

Remember, it is not wrong to not conform to all of society's norms. Be yourself, you never know who you might inspire.