If you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing you are.
– Maya Angelou
This was the quote I put on my senior square for my high school yearbook because of how accurately it embodied the struggles I faced growing up as an Asian American in a white-majority community. Growing up not looking like my classmates had a great impact on the perception of myself. The desire to be normal blinded me from my own potential; my talents and dreams were untouched and concealed out of fear of standing out or making a mistake. I adhered to the stereotype I thought I had no choice to follow and did not voice any of my internal struggles. Coming to Boston for college was like breaking free from a locked cage. My cultural identity blossomed from a shortcoming to a newfound treasure that I didn’t know affected me in so many positive ways.
Everything Happens for a Reason
A motto I constantly live by is “everything happens for a reason.” As cliche as it is, this motto has saved me from falling down a rabbithole in countless situations. It goes hand in hand with “there’s good in every bad” which also holds so much truth. Life is a collection of learning experiences that teach us valuable lessons that shape who we are. These lessons are what enables us to grow and become better versions of ourselves. Self-development is only possible through failure or challenges and it is only until this fact is fully embraced that we can get back up on our feet.
