Break The Box... And Then Crush It

This semester, I am taking sociology. I actually like it very much. It is, in fact, my favorite class. It's kind of funny because when I was signing up for my classes this semester, I was ecstatic over my psychology course and a little miffed about having to take the sociology course. Guess what? Hated psychology, loved sociology. (Part of the reason for my intense dislike of psychology was because of my instructor, but I'll save that for another time.)

Anyway.

We were reading about this guy. (Duh, we do a lot of reading in college, don't we?) There was a picture of this man and I found him to be utterly fascinating. He was big and burly - huge muscles! - with tiny, squinty eyes and short blond spiky hair with red streaks. His arms were covered in bright, colorful tattoos of animals and people and words. His face even had tattoos, along his lower lip and chin, under his eyes, along the side of his face and on his forehead. He had a bushy mustache and bushy eyebrows. On the bridge of his nose were two piercings that looked like arrows going through the bridge. He had an eyebrow piercing on each eyebrow and ear piercings as well. AND!! Listen to this: He legally changed his name to 'Scary Guy'. In short, this is not the type of guy that I would want to face on the street, night or day! However, that's categorizing him, isn't it? That's expecting him to be just like any big, burly, scary looking guy because that's what he personifies.

However.

Scary Guy breaks the rules of categorization and generalization. He has broken out of the box we tried to make him fit in. Scary Guy doesn't want to beat you up or lead a revolt. He actually just wants to be your friend. (wait, what?)

It's true. Scary Guy travels across the country, speaking to school kids promoting understanding, love, acceptance, and awareness. Scary Guy isn't scary.

I think about this when I see different kids at my school. Sometimes they are classified as punks, sometimes as emo's, and sometimes as preppies. There are dumb blonds, jocks, sluts - a whole slew of them. Its so easy to put everyone in a box. Take one look and then go, 'Oh, they are such and such.' (which makes me wonder, what exactly would I be? Other than funky and unconventional?)

I hate the phrase 'don't judge a book by it's cover'. It's so over used that it's sickening. So I am going with, 'don't underestimate the creative image of a specified person.' (I love using college sounding words). Most people are very nice. (notice, I said most, not all)

I don't know what I'm trying to say other than that I don't like being judged or put in a box. I am me. You can't generalize that because there is no other me, just as there is no other you. I wear black, but I'm not emo. I paint my finger nails the color of a rainbow, but I'm not overly girly. I wear make-up but I am definitely not fake. (actually, I'm painfully blunt and honest) I wear my brother's socks when I run out of my own, I listen to classic rock, my bedroom is always a pigsty, and I enjoy doing random things. Welcome to my world. (just be careful not to trip on the messy floor)

So, break out of your box and then crush it. Show the world who you really are (without breaking the law, preferably) and shine like a star!!

May the frets be with you.