In the past, I used to care about a lot of things. What I've come to terms with, now that I am much older, is that they just should not matter anymore. Ever have that moment? For example, I used to care a lot about how my hair was styled every day for school. I would be a basic b**** and straighten it every day. I thought that if anyone caught me with gross hair that my life would be completely over. It also didn't help how I would be surrounded by friends that cared a lot about their looks as well. Now that I am a college student, I just do not care about my hair as much as I did in high school. I've told myself that everyone gets bad hair days and that it's a part of being human. I would find myself attending classes with a straight-up "I woke up like this" messy bun. Result? I love it.

Aside from the small hair situation, a major thing I used to care about a lot was how other people would think of me. I cared so much about what other people would say or think about me based on my looks and actions. Now, well... of course, I still do care, but just significantly less now. I've come to terms that how other people view you (negatively, of course) should not matter. I know you have probably heard this same line multiple times in your life: you shouldn't care about what other people think of you—but it's so true! Your life is not their life. You should be able to do whatever makes you happy and comfortable. If there is one thing I am proud about myself, it is the ability to not care about what other people think of me. They are simply irrelevant, and it's true. So, who honestly cares? Go act wild. Be crazy. Get weird. Nobody is truly "normal" because we are all a little weird. A little secret of mine (not so secret anymore now!) when it comes to handling judgmental comments towards you or whenever you get weird looks, is to laugh it off. Just laugh. Laugh, flip your hair, take a sip of your tea and then make a flawless exit.

So next time you find yourself questioning who you are because other people may not accept you for it, just remember this article. Remember that they are irrelevant. Remember that you are special. Remember that you have the right to act as weird as you want in life. Most importantly, remember that however awkward or weird you think you are that your family and friends will still love you no matter what in the end.