Be YOUrself

It is the end of my senior year and I cannot tell y'all how happy I am! I am so ready to graduate and move on with my life, out in the real world.  While I have loved my (almost) 4 years at Wofford it is time to say bye bye and for more reasons than one.  This summer I had the wonderful opportunity to intern at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia! I was the Decorative Arts intern as well as the Social Media intern.  During the summer I lived in a townhouse and was responsible for myself.  I had my own schedule and did what I pleased.  I noticed during my time in Atlanta that I was having the best time of my life (I did meet the love of my life) because for ONCE in my young life, I was not caring what other people thought of me!  Now, I was not getting wild and crazy or "acting a fool" because that's not my personality, but I owned my looks and the decisions I made.  Not only did I become a more confident person over the summer but I learned that I did not have to conform to the people around me.

Wofford is a very small college consisting of approximately 1,600 students. By the end of your four years you know everyone and you know all of their drama and business.  When I returned to Wofford in September for senior year, I had a very freeing experience.  I no longer cared what people thought of me.  I no longer had thoughts running through my head such as, "I wonder if people will think I'm strange for wearing this shirt?" or "I wonder what people are saying about me or what will they think of me if I do this or talk to this person?"  WHO CARES!!!!!! Be who you are!

Many of my girlfriends still struggle and ask themselves these questions and I shake my head at them and tell them that if they're happy then that is all that matters.  I have this tshirt with my favorite painting on it, and on the tshirt it says "So Fly" and I love it.  I wore it one day with oversize black sunglasses, jeans and my big faux  fur coat (I love fur).  When I was walking with my friend, she turned to me and said well you just don't give a sh## what people at this (very preppy) school think of you, do you? I looked at her and said no quite frankly I don't.  Being yourself is the best thing you can be.  I love fashion and more importantly, I love all clothes in general! I have many different styles that I pull from and that's okay because that's part of what makes me me.

It is my wish and prayer that more women in their early, middle, late twenties and older will embrace who they really are and not be a clone of what society or the environment they are placed in is telling them to be.  Being at Wofford for so long, I thought that only 'preppy' people were acceptable and knew how to dress.  From taking me out of my regular Wofford environment and placing me in Atlanta I was able to see the world from a different perspective.  When I came back to Wofford in the fall, I embraced the fashion-loving girl that I am.

Not caring so much about what other people think of you is the most freeing experience. I challenge you to care a little less about what others think and to embrace your true self. I promise you'll love the real YOU.