Teenagers are phasey people. Going in and out of what’s hip and what’s cool, what’s not cool, what’s cooler than cool, and whether or not “cool” is even a cool term. I have a theory that high school cliques are just clumps of people bonding over the fact that they are stuck in the same dreadful phase.
I’ve been through a ton of these phases. I’ve been the nerd, then the wannabe, then the prep, then the emo kid, then the scene kid. Phase after phase after phase. Fueled by a lack of self esteem and a desire to be different, I have made changes to myself based on people and things I wanted to be like and have.
Upon realization (over the summer; to be exact) that I was set in motion on the never ending phase cycle, I made a promise to myself for sophomore year: Do NOT change yourself for people. All I have ever done is change myself so I could be liked by people who I personally hated. I am done officially done being a puppet that masks the true me. (Cheesy, I know.)
