Recently one of my friends who writes for the odyessy, was trying to get her articles removed from the internet. When I asked her why, she said it was because her opinions could cause colleges to believe she's a good fit.

Many of my friends and I use the Odyessy as a way to get our opinions heard, and actually speak our minds on many controversial issues, but yet there is still that fear of, I won't get into college because I took a stance on something. Which led me to ask , do we actually have freedom.

I noticed that in our society that we are not allowed to take a stance on anything. People are constantly crticized for things they can and can't control. People are attacked for having opnions, looking a certain way, choosing to dress a certain way, choosing to eat a certain way. A person can never win, even around the people they love.

I often refrain talking about certain things in front of my parents and friends because it terrifies me what they will say about my interests or the things I love, and I would love to just tell at least one person, but I'm scared it will ruin the persona I have created. We as a society have taken the time and pleasure to supress that in every individual, because they will be judged for beliving a certain thing.

Sometimes I want to go back and yell at my past self for judging another girl for wearing something a certain way. It's bad enough we face judgment from adults and peers constantly, what's worse is that we seek instutional gratification for everything. In an ideal world, people are kind and no one would judge anyone for anything, but realistically it is better if we strive not to care. But you're allowed to care which makes this whole process even more frusutrating. So when do we escape this suffocating opression of society? We can't and it's ok.

It's ok to be shallow sometimes, it's ok to care what other people think. What's not ok is being shallow on purpose and letting what other people think ruin you. You shouldn't be cruel and you shouldn't let people dictate your life. It's ok to act like you don't care it's ok to care. Just do what you want and try your best to be kind. We may not be free, but at least you can try very hard to be.