Let Them by Natayah

Let Them by Natayah - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could sit down with my younger self, I would take a deep breath, look into her brown, uncertain eyes, and simply say: stop caring so much about what other people think of you. Growing up, you used to be carefree and relaxed. You would be yourself, wear whatever color combination you wanted, hang out with whoever you wanted, and talk about whatever popped into that big, bright head. However, doing these things led to bullying so severe, you stopped being the girl you used to be. You were robbed of your authenticity and started playing as a character you never knew before; one that spent time analyzing body language in conversations, changing your beliefs to fit in, struggling to find an outfit that was “in,” and shaping your identity in hopes of finding “your people.” The constant pressure to be liked, heard, understood, or validated by anyone who would care to listen to you became draining. I know how hurt and lost you felt when you thought their opinions mattered more than your feelings, but do you want to know the truth? How other people feel about you isn’t–and was never–your fault or business.
As a kid, it’s easy to get roped into the belief that you have to look, act, or think a certain way to get people to like you. Doing or saying something “wrong” was out of the question, because it meant that you might lose whatever respect you gained. I’ll let you in on a secret though–people are always going to have opinions and you can never change that. There is quite literally nothing you can do in the whole world to make every single person like you. I know how important this was for you growing up but you want to know something? You don’t have to worry about that, because you don’t have to please everyone.
Once you stop caring what others think, you allow space in your life to grow, learn, explore, fail, and try again. You also open up space in your mind to heal from the hurt others have put on you. You get to think about what you're into, how you feel about certain things, what matters most to you and earn that authenticity back. That would be my gift to you, younger me. Having the courage to allow yourself to be awkward, honest, bold, nervous, loud, will all be worth it because you are being true to yourself for the first time in a very long time. You get to learn to like yourself–a sense of peace that no one can ever take away from you unless you let them. Don’t but do let them feel how they feel and think what they think. You’ll grow to fight battles you’ll never be prepared for, so an opinion from a stranger will mean nothing to you.
So just relax, stand tall, keep your head held high, stay true to you, let them, and then let go. You got this kid. I believe in you more than anyone ever did.

Sincerely,
Older you