Dannielle Says: 

Dude. I feel like it’s impossible. 

I mean, when I look back on high school i’m like ‘i guess the popular girls were nice to me, hottie boys were pretty nice to me, i talked to nerdy kids, i did the drama thing, i had a crush on a swimmer, no one HATED me…really, but it sucked so bad” 

I legit COULDN’T STAND high school. I had a few friends that had my back and that was awesome, but i wasn’t invited to parties, didn’t go out on the weekends, and never felt liked. I never felt like anyone thought I was cool, I never felt like anyone wanted to be my friend and I never felt like I fit in. 

But I got the fuck over it bc I realized everyone was kind of obsessed with status and all I wanted to do was sing musicals with my friend, Brynn…and that’s what I did…literally, my senior year consisted of Brynn and I singing Batboy! The Musical in my car, making up dance moves to LaLaine songs (miranda from lizzie mcguire) and eating Jr. Whoppers…

srsly you guys…that was when i was happiest. When I was finally like FUCK IT, IMMA DO WHAT I WANT. It doesn’t matter what other people think, it really doesn’t. Just have fun, do dumb shit and dance…always dance…BECAUSE Here’s the thing. When you look back on high school do you want to say ‘man, all i remember is not feeling like i fit in’ or do you wanna say ‘i didn’t really fit in, but i still remember the dance my best friend and i made up to YOU WISH BY LALAINE’

BC I CHOOSE OPTION TWO. ##everytimeastarfallsfromtheskyyouwish

Kristin Says:

Here is the thing about “normal” vs “fitting in,” you ready?

Normal is an imaginary thing based on how many people are doing a certain thing at a certain time.  If in the year 2011, two hundred million people are eating breaded chicken while watching American Idol, then that’s ‘normal.’  If in the year 2056, three hundred million people are eating rutabaga salads while practicing their macarena-salsa fusion dance mix…then that is normal.  Normal is a pile of bullshit, because most people just do ‘normal’ things because it is all they know or all they see.

Fuck normal.

Fitting in, however, is a little bit of a different ballgame, because you can always fit in somewhere, regardless of how ‘normal’ you are…you just have to find the people who want to do the things you like, and who understand who you are without judging how that aligns with who everyone else is.  When I was in high school I did theater, and the people who did theater with me…they fucking got it, you know?  No one had to do the same things, we were all just a bunch of kids who were exploring what it meant to be an adult person with crazy feelings.  One year I wore black velvet dresses with combat boots, and the next I wore grandpa sweaters from the salvation army.  Regardless of what I was wearing, I always fit in with the theater kids.

What I am trying to say is, the line between ‘normal’ and ‘fitting in’ is being true to yourself.  If you are true to yourself, you will find a group of people (whether that is one person or seventeen) who love you for you, period.  You will ‘fit in’ with people who don’t ask you to change or conform to their ideals. 

(Hint: Look for the group of kids who are laughing their asses off together in the hallways, who are wearing mismatched everything, who get stares from teachers and parents, but who continue to say what they believe and dress and do what they want.  Those are usually the kids who won’t ask you to be ‘normal,’ but who will accept you as you are.)