College Admissions Essay: A Catalyst For Self-Love

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It is often said that teenagers begin discovering themselves in high school, but I did the opposite- I lost myself. The source of my pleasure and delight shifted from books to parties, writing to boys, and video-games to my social life. Something within me desperately craved to be normal- to no longer be the girl that gets harassed and ostracized for being an “appalling nerd” and because of this, vital aspects of my personality began to change and I morphed into an entirely different person. Through this journey, I learned that my self-hate was a catalyst for self-love and appreciation.

Having always been considered an unusual girl in the eyes of my peers, I'd never been truly comfortable in my skin. Eventually, this uncomfortableness blossomed into self-hate that manifested itself in awkwardness. Speaking to others became a difficult task for me. The fear that I would trip on my words gave me anxiety and I would find myself stuttering, my face turning the deepest shade of rose as I began to assume
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The last time I truly felt content in my life was when I was in elementary school, before the media implanted this idea of “perfection” in my mind, before I was seen as a geek, before the sole thing that mattered was the number of someone’s followers on Instagram, before I was objectified, before I hated myself. How did I not apprehend this before? Through all of these years, I solely wanted to fit in, but why? Why would I want to suffocate my personality" just to be another face in a sea of stereotypes and uniformity? The friendships I had cultivated and all the things I had done were done under the guise of self-hate, judgment, a prolific persona, a girl who so wrongly desired to be just another face among the faces. Makeup, dieting apps, the gym, parties, validation from others were all simply obstacles I had to cross to, finally, FINALLY, realize that I am perfect just the way I am. I have been perfect all

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