I used to look in the mirror every day and not like who was staring back at me. I wanted to look good, I wanted to be liked, and I wanted to be popular. I was afraid to ask questions in class, thinking, “Maybe they will think I’m dumb,” or “Everyone thinks I’m a nerd.” I had no idea what to do with my hair so I avoided cutting it.

I was self conscious, worse than ever before.

Although I tried not to care what others thought, I knew what they were thinking and I let it affect how I saw and carried myself.

This negative self-image began to affect my confidence and happiness. All of a sudden, one of my friends reached out to me asking for help and advice. After talking to him, I realized these same things I was telling him I needed to hear as well. Why does it matter what everyone thinks of me?

I slowly started to open up, going to more school events, stopped obsessing over each follicle of hair on my head, I started talking more in classes, even if it wasn’t about the subject, and the clothes I was wearing were more comfortable instead of fashionable.

I discovered I would rather be me and stick out or get made fun of than be another clone. The kid who came to Stanstead last year would have never sung in the hallways or be presenting videos to the whole school, but now I would.

 

Everyone is someone, and they are going to like and do different things. Some people are just waiting to blossom and express themselves to their full capability. Everyone has insecurities and wishes they could change something, because no one is perfect.

 

If you hear yourself in this speech, I want you to try and make this year the year you take a step to being your true self. As Kanye West once said, “Everybody’s self-conscious, I’m just the first to admit it.”