Afraid to Be Different From

¶ … afraid to be different from the world, how can we make a difference in the world?

Rev. John I. Jenkins.

In what way do you feel you are different from your peers, and how will this shape your contribution to the college community?

Ever since I was a child, I have always been filled with the sense that life was short. I wanted to fill my existence with as many experiences as possible. I always pushed myself to do more than my peers, and to shine with excellence at home and school. I always told myself "not good enough" regarding my final effort, no matter how much I was praised that I had, in fact, done very well. While most of my peers seemed to measure themselves against their friends' achievements, I always measured myself against my own, invariably higher standards.

At first, I applied these high standards to things that were meaningful to me, like softball and physical achievement. Athletics came naturally, because I liked the fact that I could set measurable goals and reach them by working hard.

But gradually, these types of achievements were not enough. I began to set new personal benchmarks for myself. At first, they were simple ones, like acting as a mentor to the younger players on my team. I also became very involved with spirit-related activities at my school, because I liked bringing a positive and upbeat message to my classmates, and wanted more people to attend sporting events and see the hard work of student athletes in action.

Then I began to understand that personal achievements can be internal as well as external. For example, many of my friends are willing to laugh off jokes that are racist or sexist. I am not. I am not afraid to take an unpopular stance and articulate my views. I believe that if one person stands up and speaks the truth that action can give another person the courage to do the same. That second person may have been thinking and feeling the same thing, but was afraid to confront those people who were making slurs. My friends also often make fun of people who support animal rights. I volunteer at a local animal shelter, and while I am not a radical, I believe strongly in treating all creatures with respect and dignity.

The fact that I am not afraid to stand up for what I think is right is my greatest personal quality, one which I hope will prove to be an asset to the college community I join. I still tell myself "not good enough -- yet" in regards to my performance in school and on the playing field. But by learning to measure myself against my own high standards, and not caring about what other people are doing or thinking, I found a strong sense of my own moral center. That is why I believe every human being has a responsibility to the community to do what is right and not what is popular by society's standards. It is more important to do the right thing than worry about what someone else might think.