I was your typical 11-year-old girl starting middle school. Not only did I want to fit in, but I wanted to be considered "cool". To this day I still don't know exactly what that means or how to be it. But back then, it was rough. Once I realized I wasn't cut out to be part of that crowd (a realization that was imposed onto myself, by me, because I was scared and intimidated by "popular" girls), I started to resent those that WERE in that crowd, much like my other peers that were considered "uncool" or "weird".

I and people similar to me (similar as in not popular) started to do anything to separate ourselves from the in-crowd. We acted as if we were a minority that needed equality; as if the in-crowd were undeserving of being liked by everyone and being "perfect" as we and even they looked at them as. They were rich, spoiled kids that looked down on us because we weren't like them. They judged us and we judged them... but which came first?

Judgments were being cast left and right, and suddenly it became routine to silently dislike one another. Even my high school biology teacher noticed it; one side of the classroom sat "cool kids", and the other sat people like me. The two sides faced each other-- literally. The seats of one side faced the other to where we were all forced to look at the opposite side.

That was my sophomore year of high school and since then a lot has changed, including how I see people. Somehow, God decided that I should be with a guy who-- wait for it-- is part of that crowd that I've always been so afraid of! The old me would be shocked. But from this wonderful, amazing person (whom I would never trade for anything in the world), I've learned a lot, and a lot about people to be precise. I've been exposed to new people I would have never approached or attempted to be friends with before. In my mind they were all judgmental, mean, and most of all, too good to like me. I was scared of these people, especially the girls, because I wanted them to like me and I thought that would be impossible for a weirdo like me.

But, here's what I've learned:

• the "cool" kids are actually normal. some of them are even quirky and a little weird
• they are a little more outgoing, which can make them intimidating for an introvert like me, but that also makes them fun

AND...

• they are people, just like us. they don't judge us outcasts as much as we think. they are just living their lives trying to be happy and have fun along the way, all while dealing with the same crap that everyone else does.

The point is, getting to know someone before judging them is the best way to go. Everyone is dealing with some kind of dark cloud in their life no matter how much they try to hide it and make themselves look "cool". Being friendly to everyone will always get you the truest of friends and that is one of the most beautiful and even COOL things in life. Don't risk a real friendship because of your ego... whether you're cool or not.