As some of you may know, I love to play dress up. 

As I walk down the Algonquin hallways, I feel reassured knowing I am wearing outfits that I truly love. Some days it could be yellow bell-bottoms paired with a royal blue, smiley face sweater vest. Another day I will be sporting zebra-patterned pants, a black top, and a lilac cardigan with faux fur trimming. Sure, my style may not be for everyone, but if you haven’t figured it out yet, I love fashion. 

Fashion has always been a way to express myself, but having a bold style didn’t come as naturally as you may think. As I left middle school, I started to find out that American Eagle skinny jeans weren’t for me, but it wasn’t until sophomore year that I pushed myself to stand out with my clothes. Sometimes, I wonder whether it takes confidence to wear the clothing I like, or if the clothing I like is the thing giving me confidence. 

My favorite pair of shoes are these bubblegum pink, 4-inch, platform sneakers that were gifted to me by my lovely friends for my birthday. These shoes are a real show stopper. Whenever I wear them I get the classic comments, “How can you walk on those!” “Nice shoes,” and “You look so tall!” Almost like magic, these shoes transform me from your average Algonquin Regional High School student to an A-list celebrity. The confidence these shoes give me is unmatched. I feel as if all eyes are on me, admiring these beautiful specimens on my feet. 

Now, I am not saying that you all need to buy these shoes to be confident, because let’s be honest, they aren’t for everyone. What I am telling you is to be you. Find the things that make you happy and grab on to them. Whether it’s dressing up in your favorite clothing, playing basketball, reading books, do whatever is uniquely you.

So, after four years of high school, I have finally come to the conclusion that the confidence I have is by simply being myself. I’ve realized I need to not force myself to fit into everyone’s standard and focus on my own. One thing I definitely learned at Algonquin is that you will never be everyone’s taste, but all that matters is if you are your own taste.