One of the biggest challenges I have had to overcome in my life is learning how to like myself. I sound like a self-help book, but I honestly think that for anyone who is wanting to be happy in life, they first need to start by looking at themselves.

For high schoolers, there’s this huge problem with fitting in. Even now, at Southport, I can say that I know people who try to fit in with certain groups by putting a label on themselves. Some even try to fit in by being different, which I believe has become the new social norm. Seeing a person with pink hair, tattoos or black lipstick isn’t even anything to bat your eye at anymore.

Although, shouldn’t we bat an eye? I’m not going to sit here and say that all people are just trying to cover up subconscious problems, but I believe that the majority of people who try to fit in are doing it for other substantial reasons. If you look at yourself and are completely honest about the things that you don’t like, then you can fix them. Anything is fixable. If you don’t like your weight then work on it. If you don’t think you’re smart enough then you can work on it. If you don’t like that you’re not social, you can work on it.

We’re all works in progress until we die. We’re never fully perfect, but don’t you want to love yourself?