Other essays on this theme

Essay: "Fitting In"

What is it, really, to consider yourself to be "fitting in"? The whole concept of "fitting in" seems to have plagued me my whole life. Growing up an "Air Force brat" put me in new situations for most of my childhood. Some kids adapt well to always being the new kid. Others, like myself, stay quiet and to themselves, or at least learn to be, knowing they don't fit in.

Wanting to be like every new person you meet, just to feel acceptance, can lead to trouble in adult life unless you are the kind of person who can adapt well to new situations. If not, drugs and alcohol can gain access to the emptiness perceived by a person who doesn't feel accepted, someone who doesn't deserve to fit in. In many cases, jail time is a result.

Jail is not a place where you want to fit in. You go along to get along. Steer clear of the obvious stumbling blocks, follow the rules that your upbringing ingrained in you and you can get through it.

Fitting in doesn't mean that you have to be just like everyone else at some point. It is the end point of a value system that can lead you down a wrong road or the shining star of self-actualization.

Be yourself and you will be the soul that others aspire to be like.

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