Growing up is probably one of the few invariables in life that we all must go through. This process might take a little longer for some, but the experience of getting older can be difficult. The road to adulthood and maturity can be tough and often is, but it is this path that we take that formulates all of our learning and growth experiences. If growing up wasn't hard enough, we also have to deal with other people who are growing up as well. Generally these other people are our peers, friends, classmates and everyone else who we seek acceptance from. As I met and interacted more as a teenager I started to discover that opinions were already formed of me and I treated me accordingly. Whether it was a good or bad, right or wrong opinion of me didn't matter. I did not understand how someone who has never spoken to me can tells others of what and who I am. I was stereotyped and for the most part they were not good steretypes. The three instances that still bother me to this day happened in High School. As a decent looking kid who loved sports and was a little shy, I was stereotyped as a dumb jock that could only play sports and was too conceited to speak to anyone. .
Was that the case? Was I so stuck up that I deemed myself above everyone else? That's a no, a hell no to be more precise. As rumors spread, mostly by girls, I started to receive a reputation I didn't like. To be honest, I cared a lot about what my peers thought of me. Reflecting back on High School now, I don't know why, but I used an enormous amount of effort to change what was being said and how I was perceived. As a person who felt the undeniable need to please everyone, I frequently broke down emotionally when I could not figure out why people saw me this way. The most distinct instance that stands out was when I had the biggest crush on a girl in my English class. Her name was Brandy Young and she was the smartest, funniest and most beautiful girl I had ever seen.