Its not always easy to fit in. We try our hardest, changing who we are just to feel like we’re part of something because that’s what we think will make us happy. We believe that once you are part of this conformity, you will feel happy about yourself and about life. This, I’m sorry to say, is probably not the case. As a teenager who has over come years lower social status and has been accepted into that other world we dream of day in and day out, I can tell you that looks can be deceiving. When I was younger I lived a very simple life. I didn’t have the fancy clothes or the perfectly manicured nails.. I didn’t have a boyfriend or a fleet of “besties” that I did everything with. I had friends.. but I didn’t necessarily even like them. I floated though elementary and the first few years of high school going relatively unnoticed while dreaming of a better world (Not like a world without war or anything like that.. this was a socially distraught teenage girl we’re talking about). A world where I had my “besties” and we did our nails together and went to the gym. Where we drove our cars out for “drinky-poos” and went to great parties where all the guys liked me and my boyfriend had to fight them off with a stick. What a life, right? Well one day me and my friend Afro samurai (obviously not real name) discovered that we just needed an in. So we started hanging out with this fellow named Ty whom we had a mutual friend with. Our plan worked out well and we began to climb the social ladder. Eventually me and Ty grew fond of each other and started dating. All was well and good until he decided he didn’t like my friend Afro samurai. I am ashamed to say I chose him over her and we drifted apart. I continued to climb this metaphorical ladder and eventually was trying so hard to maintain my image that I did whatever I could to fit in. I eventually lost myself completely to this world and what I thought for so long would make me happy, actually made me more and more depressed. This went on for about three years. Mine and Ty’s relationship had turned sour during the first of the three and was starting to weigh on my soul. Eventually I gained independence and realized what was important in life. Being myself. I’ve regained a lot of my personality that had been lost over that period of time as well as my friendship with Afro samurai. I feel happier knowing I’m doing my best to stay true to myself and I actually feel like I have bonded MORE with the people I was pretending to be like now that I have stopped pretending. I do still have some issues being myself but I’m working on it and my other issues I took from that time in my life but I’m happier now and I know that life is better when you accept who you are and stop pretending to be something you’re not.