Our society labels high school as a defining moment in a person’s life. However, I don’t think we should let four years of our lives define who we are as people.

Many TV shows and movies characterize “nerds” and “weirdos” as outcasts and portray them as people that no one should strive to be. But whenever they grow up, they tend to be the people who thrive in the real world.

Everyone needs courage in their lives. Courage to stand up for what you believe in, even when your opinion may not be the popular one. Courage to take new paths and challenge yourself to work harder and to grow with every new day. Courage to be who you are, even if that is a “nerd” or a “weirdo.”

If someone calls you a name or labels you a certain way, take it with a grain of salt. You should not let others define you you are as a person.

College is just around the corner, and to be honest, I’m scared. I’m scared of the person I will become. I hope I’ll stay on the right path and not be caught up in the “college life.”

But I must not let what might be in the future scare me from moving forward. I need to be strong, even when I don’t feel like it. People have perceived me as a “good girl” and a “band geek,” but you know what? I could care less what those people think, because I know who I am and I won’t let what others say affect my mood and happiness.

Don’t let high school define who you are. You are an individual, and you should define yourself, always growing and letting yourself move forward in the future.