Before I begin, I’m going to acknowledge the fact that this article is going to offend some people’s lifestyle. That’s not the intention of this article. Instead, this article is for standing up for the girls in college who have gotten the shaft for staying true to themselves and their values even if it means ridicule or derision. It’s college. You’re surrounded by a culture where every day is a party. It’s fine. Whatever. Just not your thing. Maybe you’ve always been referred to as a “goody two shoes” or told you aren’t any fun. People try to shove beer in your face and then look surprised and even appalled when you refuse. You don’t go out on the weekends and get hammered and then go out and do it all again the next day. You don’t wear revealing clothes or flirt with all the guys. You’d rather go to Cookout with a couple of friends and get milkshakes and hush puppies, then go home and watch Disney movies over going to the bar or the club. So you’re “weird”. You’re different. You’ve gotten all kinds of judgments passed on you from people who just couldn’t understand you, but you, mutually, couldn’t understand them. You don’t do a lot of things “regular” college girls do, but you’re tired of hearing how you’re so boring or too stuck up to do what everyone else is doing. And sometimes, it gets tempting to do all that “fun” stuff just to prove that you’re not that different from everyone else, and that you can have fun.

Stop. Right there. Listen up chicas.

There is nothing wrong with staying true to your morals, values, and beliefs. You give those up and give into peer pressure and you’ve just given up the very things that make you who you are. SO WHAT if you would rather eat ice cream and watch Disney movies over playing beer pong with a bunch of people you won’t remember in the morning. Disney movies are awesome and you’ll actually remember doing that with your friends when you wake up... lol. You, my friend, are a rarity in a world that is constantly pressuring you to give in. Don’t do it. It won’t bring fulfillment and it won’t make you happy. Sure, people might not understand, and some people will pass judgement on you. But that’s them. They’re going to do what they do. You keep doing you. You have goals in life. Big ones. Achieve them. You were raised to respect yourself and those around you. You were taught to take the road less traveled by and you learned at a young age that it wasn’t always the fun one. But all those things you were taught? They’ve worked up to this point and turned a young girl into a grown woman who knows herself and what she stands for and is proud of who she is. You’re a gem, darling. Don’t let anyone dull you’re sparkle. Love your “weirdness” or whatever anyone wants to call it. Own it. I’ve got a lot of respect for girls like you. You should respect you, too.