I was walking down the street with a small pink Victoria Secret bag in one hand and a cup of Pinkberry frozen yogurt in the other hand. While I was quite content with my choices for the evening, I quickly realized I was on the receiving end of some very concerning stares. I instantly became self-conscious, and seriously considered throwing the yogurt out at the next trash can to avoid the long and cold walk of shame back to my apartment. I was ashamed because I thought that I was representing myself as a stereotypical white girl, and was instantly dumbing myself down.

There are so many stereotypes about young girls, and they’re all based on quite trivial things like the clothes you wear, the music you listen to, or even the types of coffee drinks you enjoy. People think that because you dress a certain way, they can put you in a box and know everything there is to know about you. They will stare at you when you walk down the street, and judge you based on the labels they see on your bags. So because I chose to treat myself to some nice new undergarments and a frozen yogurt, I can instantly be categorized as basic and probably a little bit dull. That’s absolutely ridiculous – give us a little more credit than that.

When you make a snap judgement about someone, you’re the one who ends up losing. You may see what this person looks like, but you have no idea what they are capable of. But it shouldn’t just be about not making snap judgments, it’s also your responsibility to have enough confidence in yourself to not care about what other people think. Why should you care if someone on the street gives you a strange look? You’re never going to see them again. Don’t focus on them, focus on yourself and your own goals.

If you want to change how people see you, you’re the only one who can do that. Work harder each and everyday so that someday you have something incredible to contribute to the world. Be defined by your accomplishments, and your aspirations. I have a lot of things I want to accomplish in my lifetime, and the people who judge me on the street don’t know anything about who I am or what I can do. I plan on doing great things with my life, and there’s a pretty good chance that this lifetime will also include quite a few Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Anyone who has a problem with that can keep it to themselves.