I will be able to do a split in six weeks. I told myself that over and over as one leg was bent up, the other behind me, both extremely painful. It was nine thirty at night and I was doing my nightly stretches. I had recently decided that being able to do a split was an important, necessary, and admirable feat. But, as my calves screamed and my thighs cried, I began to lose patience and chose sleep over stretching. The next morning, I woke up for school and noticed that I was sore and had difficulty walking. I entered my first class, stepping lightly on my feet. I saw pony tails, Lululemon accessories, and sports watches. Immediately, I chose a seat and jumped into a conversation about the new Brandy Melville store in the mall, the pop songs …show more content…
I sat down and shared hair dyeing tips, photos of my six cats, and made plans to go swing dancing on Friday night. I am flexible; I can change who I am around different people. My legs hurt. I went to the rest of my classes. I am flexible; I can be a different person, depending on who else is in the room. But should I? The school day ended and I found myself home alone in my room. I listened to that one song on the radio that I did like, I watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, and I bought books with queer main characters online. Music, emotional tv shows about doctors, and queer literature contribute greatly to my personality. My legs felt fine. When I moved to the floor to begin my nightly stretches, I thought about how trying to do a split felt like trying to be two different people. It’s a feeling I know …show more content…
In the classic high school experience movie, Mean Girls, there are the Plastics, the popular kids, and then there’s Damian and Janis, the alternative, artsy students. At my school, like every other, these classifications exist. So, where did I belong? As long as I can remember, I have been called a floater. I switch between different groups and types of people every day, every hour. But I never felt comfortable in either. So, that night in my bedroom, I put one leg out in front of me, thinking about shopping at Abercrombie and posting beach photos on Instagram. I put the other leg behind me, planning a thrift shop adventure and looking at pictures of graffitied alleys. And then I stopped. I paused. I considered. And I stood up. Always searching for the place I belonged, I never took the time to consider what made me happy. Happiness for me comes in the form of a fluffy orange cat, dramatic television shows, crop tops and high waisted shorts, hair dye, and the occasional pop songs. My happiness does not fall into one category. I do not belong to a certain groups. I belong to myself and instead of changing myself to fit in, instead of learning to do a split, I should learn to keep myself together. Now, I do not lose pieces of myself when talking to students in class. I tell the girls with ponytails about my project to
On the other hand, ideally one should be true to one’s heart, if Disney’s Mulan is to be believed. But these are neither solid pieces of advice nor wise counsel; they are at best hand-wavy, wishy-washy statements that offer no guidance on traveling the minefield that is remaining true to oneself. In fact, given the wide swath of human experiences, it is difficult to imagine a panacea effective for each and every trial and tribulation people may encounter in maintaining the integrity of their identities; personally, I don't think one exists. Just as there are myriad events, emotions, and memories from which one’s identity develops, it surely follows that there are just as many ways social norms act to compromise one’s individuality, ostensibly for the worse. Therefore, it seems that an indirect solution would best serve individuals filled and bombarded with doubt about who they really are; namely, the unwavering support of a community would allow individuals to resolve, on their own terms, their inner conflicts stemming from outward
Happiness can come in many different ways for people. For me, my Pursuit of Happiness is doing what you love and living your life to your expectations. Over this unit of American Literature we have studied The Great Gatsby the characters looked to others for their happiness. In Of Mice and Men The characters did what made others happy instead of themselves and also looked to simple things for happiness. Although in Ain't I a Woman Sojourner Truth did what made her happy even if everyone was against her. If you are doing
Cliques and Outsiders The Emotional Trauma That is Fitting In Be afraid. Be very afraid. Wipe that goofy smile off your face. Whether you know it or not, that clawing, itching, quaking sensation seething beneath your skin is the feeling churning inside you every time someone of a superior clique comes rumbling down the halls, a contemptuous sneer playing on his lips. But whatever you do, keep that fear under wraps. You do not need to be shoved into your locker or called derisive names again. Cliques in high schools are a microcosm of a society dominated by hierarchies. Look around. It is hard to find one fully united school, devoid of the intricate social castes. In the wake of the now-infamous Columbine High School shooting, society was mercilessly slapped with the harsh
You are as others see you, yet others do not always see you as you are. With the importance others play on the sense of identity, it's no wonder that peers influence the minds of individuals early on in life. As young toddlers, children do not recognize biological
My once alternating identity was a product of the tendency we all have to conform. Though I was conscious of my ever-changing personality, many who adapt to suggested stereotypes are often unaware of their actions. I consciously tailored my persona in an effort to feel more comfortable in my environment. It was confusing, and I can relate to others who experience such ambivalence. In academic institutions there are a variety of stereotypes that are prevalent, the gender typecasts that I encountered as well as ethnic stereotypes, both of which can negatively affect classroom dynamics.
...air style. I was trying to fit in while finding out who I was. I tried different things by joining the Asian American Club, National Honors Society, and H2O Bible club. In addition, I learned how to play volleyball. Through those clubs and the friends I met, I found out what defined me as a person and what I had a passion for. I was able to define myself by junior year as a person who was a perfectionist, athletic, nice, and loved to dance. I can relate to Cady from the movie because she also was trying to find her identity and how she fit into a new environment. I am glad that I had parents and friends that were able to support me and guide me into the right direction to become the person I am now. My parents would rebuke me when I was wrong and my friends were there to keep me accountable of my actions.
Happiness is fake, like something forced upon me; something not real, fabricated and I don’t like it. I’m supposed to like it though. I’m supposed to like everything the government forces on me. I feel like I’m the only person who doesn’t feel content with my life, everyone else seems to be perfect while I’m falling apart at the seams.
If one is never unhappy, how would one know what happiness is anyway? Works Cited Bradbury, Ray. A. A. New York: Del Rey, 1987. Print. The. Simkin, John.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well, what about happiness? Some would say that happiness is simply apart of life, while others feel it is something that one should chase. Nevertheless, in 1981 Chris Gardner a salesman from San Francisco, California in the award winning movie The Pursuit of Happiness had big dreams for his family but things did not turn out the way he intended. However, Christopher Gardner continued to strive and take a chance to chase his happiness even if it took loosing his wife and his home.
If you were to walk into a high school lunchroom, what is the first thing you would see? Groups, cliques, friend circles, and separations. Tables split up in detached formations, almost completely unaware of the other surrounding pupils nearby. The most common groups in high school are the populars and the outcasts. The kids who have endless friends, engage in team sports, and meet the ideal teenage standards, against the ones who are quiet, solitary, and unconventional. The ones that are outcasts fall into the second description. They don’t line up with society's norms therefore, they tend to be looked upon as bizarre and atypical. Outsiders are too often misjudged and misunderstood
In one journal entry I wrote, I brought to light that the popular group is something that every one of us, for some reason feels as though we need to be a part of. This is from my own experience and things I have observed throughout my four-year career in high school. I think it was perhaps worse in junior high, however. When you are in seventh and eighth grade you are not sure of who you are and are desperately searching around for something to belong to, to be a part of. Why is this, why are we a society that are most often drawn to the most popular, "cool" and "beautiful" that high school has to offer? Why is acceptance the most important thing to us, is belonging really as important as losing your own sense of self? Who you hang out with, who your closest friends are as an adolescent without a doubt help to shape who you are. And it's funny that you seem to end up being friends with the ones who are the same type of people as you. Same fashion sense, taste in music or cars and movies. When searching for an identity in high school, it is hard not to just attempt to pick up the one that seems the most socially acceptable. I know that my personal experiences include these conforming characteristics. Still as a freshman in college I am constantly looking at the fashion of my peers, wondering to myself "do they think I fit in"? This was especially true the first few weeks of college when I wasn't sure who my good friends were going to be; I made sure that I dressed as well as I could everyday, in all the new clothes I had bought specifically for college.
It is human nature for us to have a strong sense of belonging to a group. Humans get to experience a deeper commitment to a group when they make decisions and actions. This sense of ...
Contrary to belief, genuine happiness is very rarely found at the bottom of a shopping basket or on the leather seats of a brand new car. Often we hear the cliché saying “Money can’t buy happiness” but this is in fact true. Whilst the elation and delight brought from finally owning a wanted item is extraordinary, you must remind yourself that your happiness should not become dependant upon your ownership of this item. Being happy is not something you can purchase from a shop or car dealership, it is the way you take on life. Unfortunately, happiness does not have its own aisle at shops and never will.
In contrast, other people can find happiness in the simplest things. However, remember that happiness is in our hands. Just keep seeking it and we will be happy.
The echoing didgeridoo invaded the awkward silence, and the chairs scraped the wooden floors, marking the conclusion of the period. I attempted to bolt through the large crowd, squeezing through the narrow doorway of the class. I was shoved into a row of desks, “Step back loser or I will get Bulan to give you another reminder.” I waited, head down, looking at my hideous pale legs, wishing they were dark. When the laughter was fading down the hall, I ...