Viewpoints Editor Isabella Gresham’s “This I Believe” graphic is shown above. Gresham reflected on her relationships throughout middle school and high school and the importance of choosing the right friends. “No matter where you are, there will always be someone for you. Surrounding yourself with the wrong people just to ‘fit in’ or because you want to seem ‘cool’ will just end up hurting you in the long run,” Gresham said. Graphic by Isabella Gresham
Viewpoints Editor Isabella Gresham shares her belief in living authentically and surrounding yourself with the right people.
Hi, I’m Isabella Gresham, a sophomore and the Viewpoints Editor for the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School. This is “This I Believe.” These are essays that discuss the origin, importance, and rationale behind people’s personal belief systems. Students will share their personal essays discussing how these beliefs affect their everyday lives, times they may have been challenged, and how they may impact the lives of those around them. This is “This I Believe.”
Whether you realize it or not, you’re constantly being influenced by your surroundings.
I have attended both private and public schools, and the people and experiences I observed at each were vastly different. However, one thing remained true: the people I surrounded myself with directly impacted my personality.
For instance, my personality completely switched going from sixth grade to seventh grade while I was attending St. Joseph Catholic Parish School. In sixth grade, I was obsessed with the idea of “popularity,” and didn’t care about much else. The reason for this? My ex-best friend. She was the ideal image of “popular”: conventionally attractive with blonde hair and blue eyes. She excelled in multiple sports and yet kept straight A’s. When others saw her, they knew who she was immediately.
She switched schools before we hit seventh grade. By then, I had found a new group of friends and my personality changed to match theirs. After the year finished, I decided to change my surroundings, and in eighth grade, I switched to Clarke Middle School.
Private to public school is a culture shock, to say the least, and since everyone already had their inner circle, what other choice did I have than to mold my personality yet again?
I changed my clothes, my hair, my makeup style, anything to fit in with the rest of the girls I was practically idolizing.
But, that didn’t make me happier. It didn’t make me gain more friends or more confidence. All it did was give me the idea that I couldn’t be myself. That I wasn’t enough.
This idea remained true until I branched out at CMS. I became a part of multiple friend groups, all of whom knew each other but had varying personalities.
From my experiences in middle school to now, being a sophomore in high school, I realized that it didn’t matter if I fit one certain mold. I found that just because someone has the “ideal” characteristics doesn’t mean they are the right person for me to be friends with.
Being so keen on having the same hobbies, the same likes and dislikes as those I wanted to turn myself into would bring out bad qualities rather than any of the good.
It can be difficult to move on and find new friends when necessary, but the ability to do so will be one of the most important lessons you can learn throughout middle and high school.
No matter where you are, there will always be someone for you. Surrounding yourself with the wrong people just to “fit in” or because you want to seem “cool” will just end up hurting you in the long run.
By expanding who I put myself around without changing who I am, I have made some of my longest-lasting friendships.
Nothing is better than being yourself because if you are, the right people will come to you.
This I Believe.
