To celebrate the release of Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard, an awesome group of writers are posting about their Mandarin (the person they idolised as a teenager). Lisa & Laura Roecker and Elana Johnson decided to take it to the next level: a non-blogfest level.
Here's the details from Elana: NON-blogfest on Wednesday, March 16. You can blog about who you would have given anything to be like when you were a teenager.
I was never one of the 'popular' people. The ones with the perfect hair, figures, clothes and boyfriends. The ones who didn't walk the halls with their head down due to chronic blushing attacks, or worry about being teased for being overweight. I wanted to be someone, anyone else but who I was.
I knew people in the different groups, but I lived on the fringes. My friends were a mix of clever, arty, musical, weird teens. We were the ones who drifted around the social groups, never fitting into one category.
My Mandarins didn't care about fitting in. They said that life's too short to be someone else. They wore what they wanted. They didn't give a **$% what people thought about them. They were brave, daring, and comfortable in their own skin. And that's what I wanted to be.
It took me a while to realise that who I am is better than who I thought I wanted to be -- everyone else. My Mandarins knew that before I did. I didn't need to be anyone else because being me was enough.
And I'm okay with that.
15 comments:
I freaking love this post. I love how you realized that the only person you needed to be was yourself.
I loved this! Such a different take. It doesn't surprise me that you were strong enough to just be yourself and was in no need of a Mandarin, I suppose I could have said the same... I'm just not sure I would have believed it :)
sounds like you had some wonderful mandarins who helped you find self confidence!
This was awesome. My HS was nothing like the one's we read in YA books. We had popular kids, but no one really worshipped them. They were just there. The beautiful crowd.
AWWW *sniffle* this was so lovely!
I love this post, Lindsay. I wish that I'd been able to read it when I was fourteen, so I only hope that some fourteen year old somewhere is reading this!
Placing on my list!
I love, love, love this! I was never popular, either, and I spent a lot of time trying to be like those kids. Until I finally realized the same thing you did: "being me was enough."
You said this so perfectly! *hugs*
Brilliant! Why is it that we want to be popular? I guess just to fit in? Whatever the reason, I'm glad you learned that you are enough. :)
What's wrong with the clever, arty, musical, weird people? I thought I was cool!
Takes a long time to come to that conclusion, sometimes--that you are best at being yourself. And that this is a good thing. I know I struggled with it for a long time.
aww, I love this post! That's so similar to my high school experience - I was awkward physically and socially, but I went after things passionately, and so I found a group of friends who were the same. By the time we graduated, actually, we were all much less awkward. It was awesome. :)
Great post. Strong people is what it takes, even in todays youth. There are so many things I would have changed back then. LeSigh.
I'm late, but thank you for participating! great post. it's so refreshing to reach the point where we realize we're most comfortable as ourselves :)
AW, I love, love, love this! Perfection.
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