Why am I different?

Ever since I was a kid, I always felt different. My thinking was different, my words were different, my clothes were different, my character was different. I was too loud or I was too quiet, or I didn't care enough or cared too much. Beaten down by the mold society has enforced, I have always felt incomplete and lost. Not knowing which expectations are needed to be met, and which ones actually mattered. 

I’ve come to a point in life where the phrase “living for your inner child” has become more and more relevant in my life. I used to be a girl full of curiosity and light, someone that wanted to learn no matter the costs. I miss that girl, I miss me. I have constantly found myself between the mold of society and the things I actually want for myself. 

I’ve struggled with finding peace in what it means to be “different” and I still have yet to find it, but I am looking.

By: Shayla Williamson

Year: Sophomore

Major: Business Economics & Psychology

Hometown: Orange County, California

Fun Fact: I love line dancing