The Opposite of Conformity by Olivia

The Opposite of Conformity by Olivia - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

Freshman year- a surreal blur of new experiences, memories, and opportunities. It marks the first of many additional years of advanced learning, and it's a complicated year for each and every teenager. Through this whole year, there is one imperative piece of advice that you need to remember in order to succeed: be yourself.

Freshman year is when you realize how large your high school truly is, and you come to recognize all the different opportunities that are available for you. On top of all of this, freshman year is when you meet new people, strengthen old friendships, and discover who your core friends are. This can all be really stressful, especially if some of your previous friends change drastically, and you lose their friendship. But through all of this emotional turmoil, you just need to remember to be yourself. Although this seems difficult at times, it will be worth it in the end. Yes, there will be people who don't accept you, but that doesn't matter. If they don't accept you for you, then you don't want to be friends with them anyways. However, by being yourself, you will be accepted by those who truly love you and value your friendship. These are the friends that you will be able to count on throughout the hardships of the next 4 years, and believe me, you do not want to lose them.

Another benefit of being yourself is that you will have way more fun. While everyone else is trying to find their "identity" freshman year, you can just be confident and content with who you are. Instead of constantly trying to become someone else, you can embrace yourself and enjoy your one shot at high school. Just forget about all the drama of freshman year, and have as much fun as you possibly can. A great way to do this is to join and become involved in a variety of extracurriculars. These are a fantastic way to be accepted for who you are, make friends, and have fun, all while participating in activities that will look great on college applications someday.

A third benefit of being yourself is that you will know what you stand for. This is so critical in high school. For example, I have friends who don't know what they stand for at all. This is extremely dangerous, because whenever they are put in a situation where peer pressure is involved, they give in, even though they know they will regret it after. So, by being yourself, you will have the strength to stand up for what you believe in and set your own status quo.

Throughout freshman year, it is crucial that you be yourself. By not conforming, you will make better friends, have more fun, and know what you stand for. As Oscar Wilde says, "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." With this one simple piece of advice, you are on your way to having a great high school career. Sit back and enjoy!