Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Health and Wellness

7 Ways To Unapologetically Be Yourself

Emily Bernstein

Feb 16, 2016

Chapman University

2535

Pexels

I am getting really tired of stumbling over my words because I'm self conscious of what I'm saying. I'm tired of working hard to take up less space in a classroom, the dining hall, a restaurant. It's gotten to the point where I'd rather bite my tongue than say what's on my mind or what I'm passionate about just because I'm afraid of someone rolling their eyes or judging me for it. As I've gotten older, I've slowly learned to own the person that I am—the person I've become. Over the years, I've figured out certain things to help me embrace who I really am. Here's the list.

1. Take pride in your major.

I'm a creative writing major. More than that, my dream job is to become a famous poet. I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life, though, because my dream job isn't a realistic job. But it's what I love, so there.

2. It's OK to be weird sometimes.

I'm snarky, quirky, and loud. I've met some of my best friends through that weirdness and sass. Let it out sometimes, and good things will happen.

3. If you're doing what you love, who cares what people think?

I'm not gonna lie, fashion confuses me to the core. I'm happy wearing a t-shirt and jeans but apparently that makes me a hobo. Let's be honest, I'm never gonna be able to match that patterned blouse with the right pencil skirt.

4. Be friend with people that you want to spend the rest of your life around.

College is great because you're not stuck with the same people in every class. Find people with the same interests as you, the people that make you a better person, the people you actually want to spend time with.

5. It's OK to be single.

Being single is fun! You can embrace it, and really get to know yourself.

6. But, it's also OK to be in a relationship (or want to be in one).

Getting to know other people is fun too. You do you, boo.

7. Love yourself.

We don't have time to be anyone but ourselves. Embrace it.

Follow these nine steps, and I promise you that you'll feel more like yourself in not time. After all, why spend all your time apologizing for who you are, when you could just be living your life the way you actually want to be living it?

From Your Site Articles

None ›

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Student Life

The 12 Stages Of Course Registration, As Told By "Friends"

No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

The State University of New York at Stony Brook

3624

YouTube

As college students, we are all familiar with the horror show that is course registration week. Whether you are an incoming freshman or selecting classes for your last semester, I am certain that you can relate to how traumatic this can be.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

Bonus points if it is more than two.

Keep Reading...Show less

registration

Featured

Economic Benefits of Higher Wages

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

Florida International University

301720

Illistrated image of people crowded with banners to support a cause

StableDiffusion

Raising the minimum wage to a livable wage would not only benefit workers and their families, it would also have positive impacts on the economy and society. Studies have shown that by increasing the minimum wage, poverty and inequality can be reduced by enabling workers to meet their basic needs and reducing income disparities.

I come from a low-income family. A family, like many others in the United States, which has lived paycheck to paycheck. My family and other families in my community have been trying to make ends meet by living on the minimum wage. We are proof that it doesn't work.

Keep Reading...Show less

Entertainment

13 Times April Ludgate Perfectly Explained College

Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

1439

Every college student knows and understands the struggle of forcing themselves to continue to care about school. Between the piles of homework, the hours of studying and the painfully long lectures, the desire to dropout is something that is constantly weighing on each and every one of us, but the glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel helps to keep us motivated. While we are somehow managing to stay enrolled and (semi) alert, that does not mean that our inner-demons aren't telling us otherwise, and who is better to explain inner-demons than the beloved April Ludgate herself? Because of her dark-spirit and lack of filter, April has successfully been able to describe the emotional roller-coaster that is college on at least 13 different occasions and here they are.

Keep Reading...Show less

april ludgate

Recommended for you

7 Ways To Unapologetically Be Yourself

1. Take pride in your major.

2. It's OK to be weird sometimes.

3. If you're doing what you love, who cares what people think?

4. Be friend with people that you want to spend the rest of your life around.

5. It's OK to be single.

6. But, it's also OK to be in a relationship (or want to be in one).

7. Love yourself.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

No one best represents the struggle like our favorite 90s squad.

1. When course schedules are released and you have a conflict between two required classes.

2. When there is only one section of a popular course.

3. Receiving the 18,000 emails reminding you to register ASAP.

4. When you need to see an advisor, but they are too busy/unresponsive.

5. Trying not to dress like a bum for your appointments with your advisors/department heads.

6. When you have a perfectly planned out schedule, and one class ruins it.

7. Carefully moving things around to accommodate a different class/section.

8. Waking up at 6:00 a.m. for your enrollment time.

9. Concocting a new schedule at your enrollment time after your original plan gets changed.

10. Getting into a class and filling the last available seat.

11. When all of your classes finally go through.

12. Realizing that you forgot a class that was a pre-requisite for everything else.

When your capability of "adulting" is put to the test

Nobody deserves to be living in poverty.

"Nobody living in one of the most influential nations in the world should be worried about making ends meet."

What is the current minimum wage at the federal level?

What are the benefits of raising the minimum wage?

What are the states that have set a $15/hour minimum wage?

Told through Parks & Recreation GIFs

Because who understands your bitterness better than April?

1. When you have to provide an "interesting fact" for your first day ice-breaker.

2. When your professor is babbling on and on in his lecture.

3. When you edit your friend's paper and they get an A.

4. When it's 2 AM and you remember you have a test tomorrow.

5. When you finish taking the test and you're pretty sure you failed...

6. ...but then you get the test back and somehow passed.

7. When you've been up for 12 hours straight writing a paper.

8. And then you manage to stay awake in class the next day.

9. When you have to butter up your professor for an extra credit opportunity.

10. When you're assigned a group project.

11. And your group-mates are trying to chat about life instead of the assignment.

12. When it's your last class of the day and you're about to go home.

13. But then you remember rent is due tonight and the anger comes back.

Trending Topics

Top Creators

Trending Stories

Best of Health and Wellness

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments

Subscribe to our
Newsletter