Who should I be?

Everybody's different; no two people are the same, yet very few of us are proud of being that little bit different for the fear of being unaccepted.

Some people need a daily ego boost, so find themselves wearing, and saying things, for a reaction off other people. Then there's the few who dare to stand out. I'm not quite sure where I stand in it all, but I like to feel part of a group.

Sometimes I feel like I should act different, or dress differently, just to fit in. But I've started to ask myself, why am I doing this? And, why can't people just start accepting me for who I am?

At 13 I moved from Blackpool to the Lake District. There was a definite contrast from the moment I moved to the countryside. It was all waterproofs, jumpers and boots yet I was wearing tracksuits and Rockports. It's safe to say that the first non-uniform day pretty much ruined me; I waltzed in to school with my hoop earrings, sovereign ring, Nike trainers and Reebok tracksuit. Let's just say, I changed my attire for the second non-uniform day.

So moving from one place to another completely changed me. But that was down to a change in location, and I was 13; I'm not so sure we know who we really are at that age. And, I'd like to think that I would have changed in to the person I am now, no matter where I lived and who I spent my time with.

But it's different now. Today. I know who I am and I know who I want to be. Even so, the only person in my way is me. I find myself caring about what other people think far too much, despite trying not to make it obvious.

And it's the same with everyone; there comes a time when it all gets too much so I have to ask myself -

'Am I living for me, or everybody else?'

At the end of the day, being unique should be looked at more positively, because being a sheep isn't cool either.