“You’ve got to take the good with the bad,” J.M. Stone once said.

   For many people, COVID-19 was the big, bad wolf that blew their houses down, unemployed them, and separated them from their family. If the pandemic showed me anything, it was that I didn’t know who I was becoming. Just like everyone else, I only had certain friends because I saw them everyday.

   Teenagers tend to become carbon copies of one another in high school with the hopes of fitting in. However, through this separation, people were compelled to find who they are. 

   Returning back to school, I’ve seen an explosion of personalities. From eye-catching magenta hair to turquoise strands that remind me of mermaids, it’s nice to see people creating a lane for themselves. From fishnet leggings that compliment knee-high leather skirts with silver chains on the side, to flower printed dresses, people are not only telling who they are, they’re showing it too.

   While remaining behind screens for eighteen months, students took advantage of this time to find who they want to be, without having the pressure of looking like everyone else. They’ve found inspirations from TikTok influencers to Instagrammers and YouTubers who have touched them through the screen. Walking around the school, rocking your raven black cognac suede combat boots to the beat of your own drum takes courage and guts. 

   High school is a beehive full of other students—and even some teachers—buzzing away people’s confidence in fear that they’ll be talked about. Shutting off these thoughts radiates a sense of boldness most students didn’t even know they had, and knowing that they look good in the outfit that makes them beam in the mirror in the morning also shows that it doesn’t matter what others say. It’s all about what makes them feel great, which allows that confidence to shine through them.

   COVID didn’t stop glow ups.

   It only festered the needs of those who wanted a change or were tired of not showing who they were. COVID manifested spunk and fortitude in some students. 

   You don’t have to take my word for it. Just walk in the hallways and you’ll see it for yourself.