Sofia Sabah, Period 8, 11/3/21

 Modern Mythology 2022

Goal Setting and Growth:

What’s so great about being special?

One of the most repetitive questions we get asked: what makes you special? What makes you stand out from the rest? Did you start a non-profit? Are you a musical prodigy? Have you gotten straight As ever since you started school? A child genius??? Especially as we’re applying to college, we’re told to do all of these things just to put on our resume. I remember in freshman year, there was a girl advertising for a club or something of the sort, and her whole campaign was about how we’ll stand out to the college admissions officers. As much as I support being a well-rounded and involved student, this is not the way to go. Now before I continue, I’m not saying to do nothing with your life and to not accomplish anything: don’t just attach yourself to that mentality of “oh it's okay to not be unique” and never try to improve yourself, because that is NOT the point of this blog. That being said, doing something just to stand out and seem impressive for the eyes of others is ultimately pointless. People pride themselves on the praise and approval of being exceptional and being different from the rest. Take away that and they feel like they have no purpose. So why do we have to be better than everyone? Am I not as worthy as a person because I haven’t cured world hunger? Are your parents nobodies because they haven’t won Nobel Prizes? It seems like we are measured by the amount of awards and achievements we have rather than who we are on the inside. Society may not celebrate ordinary people, but those ordinary people are what keeps this very society going. We as humans need to accept that you can contribute to the world without being some mastermind, and you are just as important as anyone else. Anyway, recently I’ve been reading many of my fellow peer’s resumes as college application deadlines are approaching. I thought about my own resume and I felt part of myself drop. They were all so impressive. I started comparing myself to them, and felt incredibly inferior. These kids are so much better than me. They did more community service and did multiple internships. They won this award... Then I snapped out of it. Good for them. Their accomplishments don't make me lesser. I know that I put my all into the things that I have done. And I know that I have been the best version of myself that I can be. So yeah, I don’t want to be special. Being myself is enough.