From Cheerleader and Class President to Spunky Activist

Like I stated before, I hail from a small town in western North Dakota. While in high school, I stayed pretty close to the status quo. Sometimes I felt I was simply striving to be just like everyone else. Angsty teenage years led to hopes of Calvin Klein sweatshirts and dreams of being named Homecoming Queen. I thought I had life figured out; in fact, I was sure of it.

Fast forward eight years. My life has shifted dramatically from those years where all I wanted to do was fit in. I find that now, I'm the one seeking the best way to stand out and to make people pay attention to the reality of the world. Things that I talk about and devote myself to aren't always happy. In fact, they're often difficult to talk about and almost always controversial. You see, I have striven to educate myself about the components of history that were conveniently left out of textbooks and forgotten to be added to the AP English reading list. The truth is, there are no facts when it comes to history. It's all storytelling that undoubtedly has at least two sides to every story. I've come to realize that much of what I believed growing up simply isn't the truth and while it is difficult to accept, it's necessary to acknowledge.

All of this knowledge has made it difficult for many to accept who I am now-a-days. During the holidays I inevitably run into people that I grew up with who expect to have a short chat with the cheerleader they once knew. They are often disappointed and unnerved to discover that I am no longer that person. I've grown and matured into someone who wants to make waves and be vocal about issues that I'm passionate about. It's as if people were serious when they inscribed "never change" in my 8th grade year book.

Change is difficult, but it's inevitable, and we have a choice to change for the better. I can't imagine going back to the days when the status quo was the best I hoped for. I want more and you should too. You have the opportunity and the ability to discover parts of yourself that you didn't even know existed. The trip can be troubling to traverse, but know that you're not alone in this journey from good to better. I mean, I went from cheerleader and class president to spunky activist. Here's to hope that this generation really is the generation we've been waiting for.

Photo courtesy of K. Barteski.