{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-story-js","path":"/story/odd-one-out-a/","result":{"pageContext":{"data":{"id":"-2b591d77-8048-53b4-a9e0-f2ad50d88d1d","authorFirstName":"Alex","storyTitle":"Odd One Out","photo":{"asset":{"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/nr9digz2/production/fc437903650414a7d25ebf21ed0fe25f527aabdf-1500x1000.jpg"}},"audio":{"asset":{"url":"https://cdn.sanity.io/files/nr9digz2/production/5c32fa9ff00893fb8675d73087fac78d703e0876.mp3"}},"secondLanguageAudio":{"language":"English","audio":null},"school":{"name":"Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology","city":"Petersburg","location":"Virginia"},"tags":["Loneliness, Doubt or Loss"],"_rawText":[{"_key":"526c42ca5b0d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6dff147c6a400","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Since as long as I can remember, I’ve always tried to fit it with the rest of my peers. Whether it was playing the same games as them, speaking similar lingo, or listening to similar music, I always tried to blend in with the people around me by copying them. But I wasn’t always this way. To really understand how I became this way, we have to go back to the early stages of my life. Back then, I was never afraid to be myself or speak what was on my mind; I was talkative, kind, and very energetic. However, as time went on, I was shunned for the traits that made me unique. Whether it was in school with my peers or at home with my family, I often received backlash, usually due to my talkative and energetic nature."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"c12a792b063b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"eb1137b04d0d0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"So, as time went on, I learned how to walk, talk, and act just like the rest of my peers. I always hated having to force myself to be someone I’m not, but the attention and acceptance I felt from the people around me felt so good, I kept doing it anyway. After a while, I became more accustomed to hiding parts of myself in fear that I would be judged and rejected by the people around me. But this mimicry started to affect me mentally, making me unsure of my identity and less grounded. Living like this was no different than being dead in a sense, and now that I look back on it, maybe I was in a metaphorical sense. However, that would all change."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"112b186ef0f4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2a2bd1a5eb1a0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"When I was in 8th grade, I met a friend named Jalier who would ultimately change my life and help me relearn how to be myself, as well as redefine what it means to fit in. I remember meeting him during lunch in the cafeteria. We made small talk during lunch and for several lunches afterward. Eventually, we became friends, exchanged numbers and contacts. If my life were a story, this would be the turning point. Talking and hanging out with Jalier frequently inevitably impacted me; I started to inherit some of his confidence, self-belief, and courage. This changed me for the better as I began to express myself more and live my life the way I wanted to, wearing whatever clothes I wanted to wear, listening to whatever music I wanted to listen to, and doing the things not as how other people saw fit. At that time, I was always cognizant of what other people thought about me, and I was always worried about it, but as time passed hanging out with Jalier, I started to care less about what they thought because they’re just thoughts and the people who think these thoughts are unlikely to express them. As a result, despite people trying to tell me what to do or how to live my life, I chose to live my life the way I wanted to and express myself in a way that I liked, despite what other people had to say or think about me."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"200fd6429cdb","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"e05b599b430b0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Meeting Jalier was a major turning point in my life because our interactions helped me relearn how to express and be myself, as well as helping me learn the common lie about “fitting in.\" From all of that I’ve experienced, the one thing I’ve learned that still holds true is that nobody “fits” in. Everyone has their quirks and boons and flaws that make them unique and stand out. We simply surround ourselves with people who accept us for our differences."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"283a1dd36f95","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"023c821942810","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"\n"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"}]}}},"staticQueryHashes":["3309388390","890781507"]}