Parents tell it to their kids and teachers tell it to their students: “Be yourself.” It’s easier to say it than to do it. Being an individual is more than just looking different; it’s in the way we talk, think, react, and the way we listen. It doesn’t mean following a crowd of rebels because they’re not mainstream. That would just lead to another crowd that has the same scheme. Individuality is the most powerful form of expression. It all starts with your name, better known as “the real first impression.”
For a long time, I really hated my own name, first and last. I didn’t know if I was named after someone, or if these names actually had a past. If it was actually a name, I wanted to know what it meant. One question I had was, “is my name English, or should I say it with an accent?” I especially hated my last name, because of the jokes from my classmates. “Why are you dressed so fancy?” as if my name was a bad trait. Now that I’m older, I appreciate my name. I haven’t read another story where our titles are the same. A name is just a name, so I knew I could get through it. What I do will set me apart, as well as how I do it. Trends flooded my high school of OHS. We all wanted to fit in, but no one wanted to confess. Snapbacks and jeans so tight that it was hard to breathe. I always thought glasses were made for people who couldn’t really see. To keep with the passing trends, a mind needed incredible speed. A shoe that was a small want a week ago becomes an outfit of great need. The result of the latest clothes and slang weren’t for personal feeling; it was only for the photographer. I set my own trend by not following theirs. That might be the reason I wasn’t exactly “popular.” Ask me if I got the new anything, and from me you’ll hear “no.” my lack of need and greed helps me plant my own seed and watch it grow. I still needed to stand out, though, past the