What really is the definition of normal these days? At one time of my life it meant to me that being normal is how you survive high school. That's before I realized I was different from some of the more "well-known" peers in my high school. I'm graduating this Sunday, and I've been thinking about all the times I learned something from being different. Being different is not bad at all. Here are five lessons I've learned about why being different in high school is truly great.
1. You meet some of the best people ever.
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I am not coordinated. I can barely catch a frisbee. So I made the wise decision not to pursue a sport in high school which was very normal for most of my peers, but I instead took Journalism. I didn't have a particular niche, but I knew I loved to write. I joined the newspaper, and met some of the most interesting people I would've never crossed paths with otherwise. Don't feel bad if you're not sporty. Join the art club, school newspaper or anime club (yes that exists). You could even make your own club. You'll never know who you'll meet.
2. The "artsy" kids have some great stories.
You know who I'm talking about. The talented kids in class that doodle in the margins of their notebooks or spend hours in the art room. Turns out, they have some of the greatest stories and ideas ever. I once wrote an article about a freshman who hand-made animal costumes and sold several of them online for over $2000, and no one knew about it except two of her friends. She made a business out of it. So ask someone about their art, whether it be painting or costume making. Sometimes you connect with peers whose once abstract ideas make them the most successful and interesting people.
3. There are students in your school that actually do care about you.
A lesson I've learned in high school is that people act like they don't care about certain issues, but they actually do. I was once the kid who only cared about completing high school as fast as possible, but towards the end of my high school career I realized that we all need to take care of each other. We all act miserable about school, so we might as well be miserable together.
4. Those different students are the ones trying to make school a better place.
There are kids in school that care about your well-being. I interviewed members of my school's GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) club, and they gave me hope for our generation. They want to provide a safe place for students who might need help with their identities, sexualities, etc. Some students honestly don't know these clubs exist, I sure wish I did as a freshman.
5. The different people often have the greatest music taste.
Entering high school, I listened to whatever happened to be on the radio, so mainly pop music. No offense to anyone who enjoys the repetitive pop music played several times a day on the radio. When I met my different group of friends I was introduced to best music I had ever heard. Music not about partying or drugs or impressing a crush. Try exploring new music, you won't regret it.
6. Having a small group of unique and different people is a lot better than huge groups of friends.
I originally thought that high school was all about having over 500 friends on Facebook, but came to realize that it's the complete opposite. I developed a small group of friends who had similar and different interests, and we all meshed together to form a small group. It's better knowing I'll remember all the fun memories I made with them instead of having meaningless memories with tons of people I probably won't stay in touch with after graduation.
7. There's a lot less drama.
I wasn't involved with most of the petty drama of high school. Of course I experienced the occasional friend drama, but that drama was nothing compared to what I used to hear about from larger friend groups and cliques. I learned to look past the average drama of high school, like what happened at a party or if someone bought the same prom dress as me. You have to ask yourself, does it really matter?
8. You learn to accept others and their differences.
Being different from others makes you appreciate people more. Flaws and differences are what make us all special, and without them we'd all be the same. Who would want to live in a world where we're all the same? I learned to see people in a new light before making assumptions about them right away.
9. You don't have to worry about meeting certain standards.
Freshman year, I felt like there were so many social rules you had to follow. I began questioning where they came from and why they existed, and ultimately realized that you don't have to follow them in order to survive. If you just don't act obnoxiously or like a jerk, you'll be just fine. Most people don't seem to understand this, so just know as long as you're a nice person, that's all that matters.
10. There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself.
Go ahead and dye your hair. Write a short story. Try out for as many sports as you want. Just express yourself and don't be ashamed to speak your mind. I can't stress that enough.
11. You just have to embrace who you are and do what you love.
This is probably the most important advice I can give to anyone entering high school. If I had spent less time worrying about what others thought about my social status or what clothes I wore, I probably would have had a slightly better experience. Just embrace what makes you different from the norm, and find what makes you happy. Don't shy away from what makes you unique, because it can potentially make the world better.
