INDIVIDUALITY
"Today you are You, that is truer than true!" - Dr.Seuss
Be happy. Be brave. Be YOU.
That's not why we are here! We are here to simply fit into our personality and not be shunned or discriminated because of it. Be yourself, if yourself could be an extremely angsty black-n-bleak goth or a total bubbly sunshine-lollipops-and-rainbows type of guy. You could hate cupcakes, love brussels sprouts and would rather be solving a puzzle rather than on YouTube.
You could hate broccoli and love Mars bars and would rather be browsing Tumblr instead of studying. THEY ARE BOTH FINE. No need to feel trapped in someone you don't know, when you look in the mirror and think that the person looking back at you isn't someone you know. Or you're just looking through a window.
Here's an idea that works- be yourself because everyone else is taken
Why is Individuality oppressed? :(
There is a difference between being an individual and doing random stuff because you feel like it.
Sometimes, individuality is oppressed, but it's not necessarily bad. For example, in a school like Discovery College there is a dress code. If your hair is past your shoulders you need to tie it up. No tattoos, mostly black or mostly white socks, and you must must must must wear the school uniform when you go to school.
Everyone at DC (other than the Y12s and Y13s) wear the DC uniform and seeing so many other individuals wearing the same thing as you do can inspire a sense of belonging.
Oppression is important, but so is individuality. Finding the absolute perfect balance between the two is crucial to create a happy and safe school environment.
When You're Feeling CONTROLLED
You march in lockstep, side by side towards your death.
At least, that's how SOME people see it!
You are free. Do what you like. People say that you eat too much, eat them too! People say that you need to gain more weight, use your extreme boniness to poke them. People say you should cheer up, go cry a river and drown them. People say you need to tone down that sassiness- I don't even need to say.
Don't go overboard- people have feelings, and there is always a time and a place to go Tupac on everyone. There is a huge difference between not wanting to conform and screaming at some soul who probably did not want to turn you into another brick in the wall like you may think.