Be Yourself

I am hopeless at fitting in. At school it was a source of trauma. People jeered at me for wearing white socks, for having a fringe, for not wearing make-up, but mostly for getting the answers right. It used to bother me a lot.

Then, one lesson, I (shock horror) got something wrong in a test.

“Boff got it wrong! Boff got it wr-ong,” came the chorus.

That’s when I realised: it wasn’t about tests or the socks. It didn’t matter what I did or how much I tried to fit in. They had picked me. They’d tease me about anything and everything.

So I stopped trying to fit in. Because if they’re going to tease me about whatever I do, they may as well tease me about the things I enjoy to do and like to be. Luckily I was stubborn enough to stick to it.

By the time I got to university, I had no problems with Fresher’s Week. You see, I don’t drink. They tried to make me and I just said no. I was more persistent than they were and eventually they just said, “Oh alright” and accepted me as I was.

Don’t try to be who you think other people want you to be, because you might have to

Know Yourself

Emily = outdoors and adventure. If you’re going to be yourself, then you need a strong idea of who you are. I don’t really know how to explain it, but there are some things that just sound right and some things which don’t.

For example, Emily = camping,  I have never aspired to have a career in anything. If people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d tell them I didn’t want to grow up (in fact I still would, just people don’t tend to ask any more).

 

Challenge Expectations

A few years ago, I realised that I get my kicks out of beating people’s can’ts – watch me.

Saying “HOW?” not “Can’t”.