WHO ARE YOU?

Stereotypes Conclusion, originally uploaded by happyjumpfrog.

Sorry for the delay in writing, it has been a week of soul searching here at Girls in the Hall. I have spent a lot of time thinking about last week’s Kate Nash quote, and how to learn not to let your true self be put in a box. I only wish for all of the awesome girls out there that this struggle would be simply about learning who you are while not listening to society’s stereotypes. Over the past few days, I realized that this battle of listening to our true selves runs so much deeper in all of us.

While we can vow that we won’t let ourselves be thrown into pigeonholed stereotypes, what about those who we feel count on us existing in our metaphorical boxes? If we are brave enough to show a glimmer of who we really are inside, I think a lot of us wonder how that will affect the people we love or how we will be seen. Let me explain…

One girl’s family is tied up in her success on the soccer team, which is what binds them all together (though she secretly hates it). Another’s family is dependant on her identity to be the second mother to her little brothers, which everyone thinks is so "cute." One girl dates the “dream guy” because she thinks most of her identity is trapped in being the other half of the school’s perfect couple.

On the flip side of this destruction, one girl, who has a genius level IQ, purposely fails a class to defy the pressure her parents put on her. Yet another is on the math team, but really wants to become a painter—since the two don’t mesh at her school, she paints in the secrecy of her room at home and hides the paintings in her closet.

Where does this leave us? We don’t want to be a stereotype, but often breaking free means taking a jump that we have to trust our family and friends will be there for. I have learned a hard lesson this week, that one of the most important things you can ever do is listen to—and learn to trust—yourself. We are all strong girls, and will make it to the other side of learning who we are and how we want to live. The people who love us will come along for the ride eventually, I know it.