Blog Post #1: I Once Was Miss America

To be a misunderstood individual in either high school or college is to say that you are unique; everyone feels this way. I don’t mean this in a negative way, but rather in the sense that most people either feel or act in this manner because it’s the truth. Everyone is unique, everyone is misunderstood, but with good reason.

While reading I Once Was Miss America, most readers will be sympathetic towards the narrator, I am one of these readers. This poor girl simply wants to fit in with the popular kids, but can’t seem to fit in due to things that she is unable to control. In this way, I feel that I can relate to her. I have some insecurities, as do most people, as does the narrator. I feel that these things are very visible to the outside world. Her skin tone is my height.

On the other hand, I was also affected by how it reminded me of how I was misunderstood in high school. Yes, I was considered smart, and yes, I enjoyed science and mathematics, but for some reason this classified me as being a nerd and thus socially awkward. This text reminded me of those day. I could relate with nearly everything the narrator said, but just like her, I could also cope with it through outside sources, whether it be friends, family, or the common inspirational YouTube video.

With reference to its place in my community, I feel that it’s not necessarily the same situation in FSU. There are large amounts of diversity, very much respect for one another, and much less bullying now than there was when this text was based off. Despite this, it’s still important to maintain these qualities that the narrator wished had been in place during her childhood.

This is especially the case in the outside world, where these qualities don’t always exist, and we must remind ourselves to not fall into these traps of life that cause us to judge others.