Leah Green, a.k.a. "Glitter Girl," is a second-year English
student.
"Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me, Fuck you I won’t do what
you tell me …" Slamming into the dude in front of me at the
recent Rage Against the Machine concert at San Jose State with my
roommate and other UCLA pals, I felt empowered as adrenaline surged
through my body.
The only thing I cared about was keeping my shoes on my feet and
moving up to the front of the pit. I didn’t worry about how I
looked or what people would think as I bounced around and enjoyed
the experience.
As students we are in the midst of a rapidly changing climate,
both within our own hearts and minds, and outside of us on campus
and society. This is our time. This is the time to explore and
challenge limits and boundaries; those within ourselves and those
created by the world around us. Create your own paradigms and be
who you are. Experience what life has to offer and seize upon your
desires and make them reality, or you can sit back as others create
your future. This is the time. Not tomorrow. Now. Today.
Take the time to look in the mirror and scrutinize who you see.
If you see someone who has had the same haircut and wardrobe since
junior high, maybe it’s time for a change. It is normal to be happy
with complacency because change is difficult. Entering into the
realm of the unknown is often daunting, but full of challenges and
rewards. If you’ve ever wanted to dye your hair green, wear silly
clothes, pierce your eyebrow, or get a tattoo, now is the time to
do it. When else in your life will it be acceptable to experiment
with your exterior image and challenge stereotypes set by your
peers and society at large? I am not advocating a UCLA takeover of
the Venice tattoo parlor, but I am encouraging y’all to leap out of
the norm and find out who you really are. If you look normal and
feel normal, something is wrong. Look a little deeper and exploit
the fears you have been hiding to your advantage.
We are in a unique position in our role as students. While many
must work to cover the expense of being a Bruin, for others their
only real responsibility lies in going to class and earning passing
grades. Last year as a freshperson I was one of the latter
students, which gave me a great deal of time to contemplate who I
was, who I wanted to be, and where I was going. I went through fall
rush and pledged a sorority, dyed part of my hair purple, partied
hard almost every weekend, wanted to pierce my nose, and my sex
life consisted of vague drunken memories the morning after. I was
searching for my place at UCLA. Everybody must go through their own
experiences to find their niche here. It takes time and is not
easy, but taking a stand for yourself is always rewarding. It took
me two quarters to realize that a sorority was not the right medium
for me to explore myself and the world around me, that drinking
isn’t as cool as I thought it was, and that it is virtually
impossible to forge a lasting relationship with someone you get
together with at a party. My identity continues to be an ongoing
struggle, and always will be as I grow and mature as a human
being.
Now let’s take a look at the world around us on campus. Many of
us at UCLA are here because we were big fish in the little pond
called high school, and now we’re all normal fishes in a huge
ocean. Don’t let this discourage you. Have you ever noticed all of
those tables on Bruin Walk or fliers on campus for different
organizations? The old you would have walked by with the tunnel
vision common to UCLA students, in a hurry to get to class or meet
your friends. The enlightened student shops around for the groups
and organizations that will enhance her/his experience here. The
important thing is to do what feels right for you. I urge each and
every one of you to explore the plethora of opportunities that are
waiting at every turn of the corner on campus. It’s cool to hang
out with your friends on Bruin Walk, and it’s even cooler to
volunteer your time with an outreach program, go to a meeting of a
group that sounds interesting to you, or go to a student
performance on campus. If you find yourself sitting in your dorm
room or apartment for long periods of time glued to the television,
or reaching for another can of Natural Light, get up and go do
something. Walk to Westwood and hang out, get on the bus and go the
3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica, go clubbing in Hollywood, go to
Magic Mountain or Disneyland, go to The Museum of Tolerance, go to
the symphony … we live smack-dab in the middle of one of the most
exciting cities in the country, and it is common to hear people
say, "There’s nothing to do around here." Take the initiative,
expand your horizons, and educate yourself about life outside of
the UCLA campus.
My father wrote me a poignant letter last year after I left for
school. I would like to share an excerpt with you … "You once
said that I never gave you any Words of Wisdom like some fathers in
the movies or novels. I didn’t, and the reason is that I don’t
believe you can teach other people about life: the only stuff worth
knowing is stuff you’ve learned yourself. You can teach children
how to tie their shoes and drive a car, but not how to live their
lives. We hope our children can avoid some of the mistakes we made,
and have better lives, but the reality is they won’t even consider
it a mistake unless they suffer the consequences themselves."
Now is the time to create our lives and our futures. Forget what
your family wants you to be and decide what YOU want to be. Look
inside and discover the person you are or have always wanted to be.
Most of all, have fun, be safe, love yourself and the world around
you, and dare to be different!