Social Me Blog Question Number Three

It is difficult not to care what others think because of the judgmental society we live in. There is a constant pressure to wear the right clothes, or even act and speak a certain way; therefore it is hard to be your own individual.

            When being a teenager self-image is very important, but it can be influenced by outside forces. Those outside influences often come from the celebrities that many of us look up to. Everyone is supposed to share the same style, and if you don’t than you’re not considered “cool.” You need to be yourself, and not give in to peer pressure. It is hard to hold an image without being put down in the process. It is the worst feeling when you are walking down the hallway and you know people are talking about you. That is when you just have to believe in yourself, and know you like your self the way you are.

The way you act and dress says a lot about your personality. There is a way to control how people see you and your personality. If someone were to walk down the hallway with a disgusted look on their face and slamming lockers shut, one might think that person is very denoted or mean. If someone were to walk down the hallway with a smile on their face, people may think differently. In society, image is everything. You are known by what actions you do and how you complete them. There was a girl I knew in grade school that used to act so nice to all the teachers, but when she was alone, she was not a nice and caring person. This is how her fellow classmates viewed her. She was able to control her image so well that she could hide her true identity. People go through great lengths to control their image in front of people. Everyone is different, and sometimes being different is a good thing.

Since I attend a small school many classmates know particular traits about each other, and it is by that you will be judged. People will know you as the video games person, as the actor, as the singer or maybe even the dancer. Those are the images we categorize with certain people. Based on how they are characterized we assume many characteristics about that person. Sometimes these characteristics can cause you to worry about what others think and it may feel that in order to fit in, you have to change yourself for others. Many people at school know each other as school friends and don’t even know what they are really like outside of school. Everyone gets the chance to be themselves when away from a pressured environment.

We have grown up with ridicule and self-image difficulties, but as we get older we become more confident and more secure with our self-confident. There are times when you feel that you can never let your guard down and be yourself, but if you accept who you are and don’t let others bother you, it’s okay to let your guard down.