Anonymous
Photography by Andres Troncoso.
If you’re reading this, don’t be afraid to be seen.
If you’re reading this, don’t be afraid to be seen.
When I was a kid, I always felt like the main character of a story. When bad things happened, I would tell myself that it was just a “part of the plot.” That was how I kept going.
I started my teenage angst phase at the ripe old age of nine years old when I woke up in the ICU after suffering from a potentially lethal head injury in a freak accident.
When I went to middle school years later, I was still sometimes seen as a charity case. If one thing can make you unpopular in middle school, it's parents reminding their kids of your near-death experience years ago and asking them to be nice to you just in case you’re “a bit different”.
It became easier to try and blend into the background. It felt better to be known as a weird shy kid instead of that one weird kid with a “different” brain.
I remember my 7th-grade science teacher telling me that she made it her mission to get me to talk more that year. I didn’t understand it at the time, but looking back now, I appreciate it.
Early on, I learned that I much preferred quality over quantity in friendships. To the people who had my back all the way back then, you have my thanks, even if we have since split ways. You helped me start to break out of my shell.
After the COVID lockdown, I knew that I wanted to change. I wanted to be more involved in my high school. Even if I wasn’t quite ready to be at the front of the picture, I didn’t want to be blurred in the background anymore.
I met a new student when I came back from quarantine. It felt nice to finally meet someone who had no preconceived idea of who I was. For the first time in a long time, I was able to tell someone my story on my own terms, and bit by bit, I felt like someone saw me for who I actually was instead of who I had been. Now she’s my best friend, someone who understands me through and through.
I got to know one teacher in particular through extracurriculars. One day that teacher took me aside after someone made a particularly awful comment and told me “You’re a good person. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment.
I listened to another teacher talk about how he lived his life to the fullest despite his post-traumatic stress. I don’t know how much he knew about me, but it inspired me to do the same.
I’ve been able to meet a lot of unique people throughout my life, each helping shape the person I am today. I’m thankful to them all for that.
Even though I graduated high school, still known to many as ‘the quiet kid’, I had learned the importance of human connection, the importance of feeling seen.
Now that I am older and (at least hopefully) wiser, I still sometimes see my life as a story but with a different outlook. I try to recognize everyone around me as the main character of their own story. You never know what someone is currently or has previously been through.
Life is a strange thing, but it is important to remember how beautiful it is. Find at least one little moment to appreciate every day, even if it is something small like a good meal or seeing a pretty leaf. There is always at least one more day to come that will make everything worth it.
If I had one thing to say it would be to appreciate the people around you, even the strangers. At the end of the day, we are all human beings with our own struggles. Don’t be afraid to see other people for who they truly are, and don’t be afraid to be seen as you truly are.
Anonymous, Georgia Tech
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