Being a college freshman has made me realize how diverse and interesting people can be. My time in high school seemed very polarized, as if everyone was attempting to be as extreme as possible so that they could be noticed. In college, you can choose your own path, whereas you are required to take all of the classes you have in high school.
Sure, you may enjoy them, but not as much as you would if you could have discovered and chosen it on your own. Eleventh Grade English was fun, but how exhilarating it is to choose a class all about fictional knights! That's the perfect metaphor for college--you self-actualize and discover who you are as a person, so everyone is more comfortable in their skin, more genuine, and much more fascinating.
In high school, we were all so afraid of being made fun of that we crawled into a shell, either through shyness or artificial extroversion. I was a weird kid, because I wore lots of black T-shirts with video game references as well as frilly dresses, but not many people found that particularly interesting.
Now I am in college, and it's strange how many people will randomly walk up to me and introduce themselves, just because. All of the friends I have made have been through spontaneity, and it has made them more exciting and genuine than the ones I made in high school. There, it seemed forced. I had known everyone for my entire life, and the proximity of being in all the same classes made it impossible to not become at least acquainted, but that doesn't mean any of us really liked each other.
Why were we so afraid of being ourselves? Are we naturally disposed to being loud and cringe-worthy when we are in our teens, or is it society belittling and degrading our value as an age group? Likely, it's both, each caused the other.
According to The Guardian, things like being untidy, waking up late, making poor decisions, and being flippant and moody are direct results of teenage brains still developing, as well as being linked to the teenager's need for constant stimulation and relaxation from their many responsibilities. This segues into societal expectations of teenagers: go to school, get a job, be philanthropic, prepare for college, have a social life, and finish growing--but your opinion is invalidated because you are young! No wonder teenagers lash out. They want to scream at the top of their lungs that they don't even know who they are yet.
I am happy to finally be in a haven where I can exercise responsibility while also exploring my individuality and aspirations. You are not trapped in a box forever. We cannot give the imagined concept of society the power to stop our flow and stifle our humanity. We are meant to look forward, explore, and innovate. No matter what age you are, you are always human, and it is okay to make mistakes and learn who you are.
In childhood, we were blissfully ignorant to social expectations; in adolescence, we were afraid to breathe the wrong way; in adulthood, we have learned to be carefree.
