I disagree with the idea that fitting in with a group is important because people should be their own person and not worry so much about what others think of them. Being yourself matters more because, in the end, you are the only one who can make decisions for your life. In the future, many of the people around you right now will not be there, so worrying about their opinions is not worth it.

Being your own person is more important than trying to act like everyone else. Just because someone acts a certain way does not mean you have to do the same or try to be better than them. Fitting in is harder than being yourself, and when you stay true to who you are, you will find real friends who like you for you, not for who you are pretending to be.

Sometimes it is hard to be yourself because you want people to like you or want to be friends with them. However, if they cannot accept you for who you are, they are probably not the kind of friends you need. At the end of the day, those people may be the same ones who talk about you or make fun of you behind your back. Being yourself is also important for mental health, because trying to be someone you are not causes unnecessary stress.

It does not matter whether you “fit in” or not as long as you are happy and having fun. Changing yourself for others only ends up hurting you, especially when you realize they were never really your friends. Being yourself helps shape the person you will become in the future, and if people do not like you for who you are, then they are probably not the right group for you.

As I have gotten older, I have realized that some people I used to hang out with were only friends with me because my parents allowed me to do things their parents would not. Now I understand that if someone is only your friend because of what you can do for them, they are not a true friend. I was best friends with a girl for seven years, but the day I said I did not want to hang out with certain people, she stopped being friends with me. That showed me who she really was.

At the end of the day, all you really need is a few good friends and your family. My mom always says, “If they wanted to, they would,” and as I have gotten older, I have realized she is right. The people who truly care will show it, and those are the people worth keeping in your life.