Almost any young person these days could point out another seemingly impossible young girl who prides herself in being a, well, it starts with a “B” and ends with an “itch,” but we’ll use the term “witch.” This term is thrown around casually, as a self-compliment of sorts. Maybe you’ve heard a girl say “I’m such a witch,” or “I (insert hurtful act) because I’m simply a witch,” or “I’m a witch because so-and-so is so stupid,” then laugh it off as though this is justification enough. My question is, why do some young girls these days base their value on how cold they can be? When did “witch” become the new “strong?”

Let’s first take a look at the definition of the word. Its informal definition is “A difficult or unpleasant situation or being.” So, when a girl says, “I’m just a witch,” They are basically saying “I’m a difficult and unpleasant person.”

Perhaps these girls are afraid of being hurt by other humans. By stating that they are a witch, they could be attempting to keep people at a distance, or ward off any potential offenders. This could be an indirect way of warning enemies that there could be repercussions from harming them.

There is always the possibility that these girls actually do think that they are unpleasant and difficult. They could want to insult themselves before someone else does. By doing so, the words might sting less. Perhaps by saying it themselves, they feel like they can laugh it off with sarcasm. This is degrading to oneself, not to mention unhealthy. No one wants to go through life thinking that they are unworthy of kind words.

Another reason might be to justify an unkind act they engaged in that resulted in feelings of guilt. Maybe this girl engaged in an aggressive behavior, such as fighting a battle that was not their own, or entering into a relationship with someone who was already in one in the first place. As human beings, we have probably all engaged in acts that were less than considerate. Of course, these acts should not define us. A mistake is something you did, not something you are. Why identify with this particular act when there are probably many other acts, perhaps acts of kindness, that you could choose?

We are human beings. Human beings have emotions--everyone. What makes you unworthy of feeling? It’s something you are allowed to do; all of us are. Feel your feelings, then let them teach you something about yourself. What makes you angry, happy, sad, etc.? And while we’re at it, I encourage you to take a look at your enemies or the people who have hurt you. It is rare that a person wakes up and thinks, “How can I target this specific person today for no reason?” There might be more to this girl than you think.

In conclusion, why not let yourself be human? We are all united in our emotions. My guess is that you are probably not a heartless witch. You are probably funny, giving, loving, talented, and so much more. Please, don’t settle at “I’m a witch.” That is definitely not the reason you were given this life and put on this earth. The world needs your lovely self. I challenge you to show it off, and help create a world with more self-love and less witches.