The Problem With Labeling Yourself | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

The Problem With Labeling Yourself

Defining everything is supposed to make life easier, right?

2
The Problem With Labeling Yourself
Footnotes Family Counseling Services

The beginning of the new school year brings a lot of excitement. I love buying new school supplies, getting out all of my new pens to color code everything, spending time with people that I haven't seen all summer, that sort of thing. But one thing that brings me major anxiety is my generation's obsession with labels.

Don't get me wrong, labels can be super helpful, but sometimes the pressure to know exactly how to define myself is overwhelming. The good thing about coming out and labeling yourself as this or that, is that it forces people to not assume that everyone fits into a nice little square box of "normal." That's great and I love it, and if you know yourself so well that you can label yourself as certain things, it becomes very helpful. The level of PC on my college campus, is, I think, great. Everyone is so sure to make sure that their peers feel safe and comfortable.

I can appreciate that, but I don't know how to define myself. Because of the pressure (that may or may not actually be there, honestly it could all be internal) to call myself something, I have, on multiple occasions, labeled myself incorrectly, and then felt even more anxiety later when I've realized that.

After labeling yourself, it doesn't really seem like you can take that back without belittling whatever identity you had put on yourself, but then it also feels like belittlement adopting the identity and living under the label falsely.

I know that this is irrational. That's what anxiety is - irrational.

Every social media bio needs to provide the world with my stats - my gender, sexuality, religion, political ideology, age, etc. These demographics of my identity, when listed out, feel like they strip me of the one thing that they are supposed to provide. I lose myself and become only one of many females, only one of many liberals. There is nothing left to me. I am only made of listed parts, and I am not whole.

There's really no safe way to do this. People are anxious without labels. People are anxious with labels. Going to college is prime time for defining or redefining yourself. You get told this constantly. Some variation of that quote is in every article you will read about college. It is reiterated by your RAs, your CAs, your chancellors, your professors. You will not go through college without someone telling you that "you can (or will) redefine yourself! Yay!"

I suppose this is just a casual reminder to everyone that people aren't all the same, and that while you may be comfortable labeling yourself and sharing that with the world, others are not. Don't pressure people into revealing themselves. Sometimes you aren't even ready to tell these things to yourself, let alone others. Respect boundaries. Give peace and love to everyone on your campus; they all deserve a safe space to shine.

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

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

2836
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

449336
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

21590
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

44602
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments