In today’s society, being considered “unique” or “alternative” is the new “basic”. Everybody is so concerned with being different and out of the box, that nearly everybody is on that level. What’s so wrong with being basic, and why is everybody so afraid to be it?

For example, the term “basic white girl” is no doubt in a majority of high schoolers vocabularies. It’s widely considered an insult. However, I’ve never quite understood why. What’s wrong with being normal? Who even decides what normal is? Uggs are warm and cute, leggings match everything, Starbucks tastes good, and iPhones are the best phone on the market. On behalf of everything “basic white girl” ever, sorry not sorry.

If I’ve learned anything in high school, it’s that it’s okay to NOT be normal. As long as you’re happy and you’re being yourself, it doesn’t matter what you are. Your peers at Ames High can and will judge you, but in the end, it doesn’t matter. There’s no way to avoid it, some aren’t going to like you. And with that, some are going to love you. Wouldn’t you rather be loved for who you are than for who you aren’t? The day I decided other people’s opinions didn’t matter was the day I truly became myself.