Recognizing Yourself: Reflecting on a Year

Recognizing+Yourself%3A+Reflecting+on+a+Year

Ruby Harris, Associate Editor

 

In the past year everything in my life changed unmeasurably. That might sound cliche, and it is, but in all honesty if myself from March 2020 met my current self, I would be practically unrecognizable.

 

2020 was the biggest transitional period of my life just because I finally got to discover myself, explore my interests, and become a person that I wanted to be. My freshman year felt like a blur of conformity and self hatred. I found myself going about my day not wanting to be judged or seem like a weirdo. And while that is a very common mindset among many people, it truly hurt my image of myself.

 

 So over the summer I lost and gained friends, realized it’s so much better not to care, and I came out (yay). I went into the new school year so much more confident in myself. I was able to look in the mirror and truly know and like the person I was seeing. That was the best feeling ever.

I finally pursued my interests, I became serious about writing music and obsess over listening to it. I found out that I love old lady clothes and looking part hermit part hippie.

 

 I learned it’s better to enjoy what you love and not so much what your friends love. I learned how powerful opening up is, especially about sexuality. I learned that friendships do not last forever even when you think they do, and you can always see what kind of people they are when things get tough. I learned that I hate online school with all of my being.

 

Learning to love and recognize yourself is so important. You don’t have to love yourself all the time but finding a place or time when you do is eye opening.

 

Through a year of suffering I gave myself a chance to become who I wanted to be. But in all 2020 became a year of learning and exploration that was the worst in the best ways.