I've always been one of those people who is unhappy with who I am as a person. I am a shape shifter, always trying to fit what I think people are expecting of me. When they asked me what my life goals were as a senior, I should have listed "make sure that anyone who has ever had any inkling of my existence, ever, likes me." as number one.
Problem is, no matter how hard I work at that, not everyone is going to be thrilled with me. Especially not all the time.
I think we all go through phases where we shift who we are to fit where we are; the music we're listening to, who our friends are, even the area we live in. However, I think I do it more than normal people.
When I first moved to Cullowhee, I wanted so badly to impress everyone... And so I shifted to what I thought they liked.
I think it was subconscious, but it happened. And the girl I was shifting to be like noticed. And called me on it.
I think she actually said, "Have an original thought or idea or SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T COME FROM ME FIRST."
I was hurt. And shocked. No one had ever called me on it before. I didn't know how to deal with it.
We worked it out, long story short. I think I'm doing better. I'm discovering who I am aside from everyone else.
But I think I still shape-shift a little. This evening, Kans and I went on a walk. (I'm embarrassed now because I know she'll probably read this, but... I'm over it. Kind of.)
I was super excited. When I moved in here, I wanted to get to know her, and it just hasn't happened... Everyone is busy and when we're home we all kind of just collapse. It's only in these last couple of weeks, really, that I feel like Kans and I have started having some semblance of a friendship, instead of merely coexisting.
As we were walking through the snowy, icy campus tonight and talking, I noticed myself watching what I said and did very carefully. I was again concerned with "She won't like me unless I critique everything I say to her first. I have to be careful."
I quickly snapped out of it, and we had (what I thought was, anyway) a pleasant walk.
But it made me wonder... How many of my relationships have I done that in?
Where have I shifted to try and get people to like me, and, in turn, pushed them away?
It kind of bummed me out. I've lost a lot of relationships, potentially awesome friendships, because I've been too scared of what people think of me.
I'm at that phase in my life right now where I either give up or where I fight it out. Where my life becomes what I make it, instead of where my parents guide me or any of that.
It sucks. I'd like to lay down and die, but something within me makes me slug through it.
I guess I know something better is waiting on the other side... It's just the fighting through to figure out what.
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| Preppy phase |
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| "I love my family, but my friends hate theirs, so I have to pretend to hate mine" phase |
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| "I hate the world outside of my computer" phase |
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| "I hate everything in the whole entire world in general" phase |
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| Current- I hate being dirty (notice glaring at dirt on hand), classy but not quite average, pretty sometimes but most of the time just want to wear what I want, hanging out with friends and going with the flow, no matter what that means phase. |
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