lessons learned in 12 weeks at nerd camp
You are important. Having low self esteem doesn’t help anyone; you are awesome and you can’t ever forget it. Live for yourself, not other people. Never ever rely on other people for your own happiness. Stop worrying about what other people might think about you; 99% of the time, you’re just causing yourself unnecessary stress.
Never be afraid to make a new friend. Go up to that person sitting alone, and try to be a friend. That being said, if the person really wants to be alone, let them. Just, be nice to people. Don’t be afraid to go join a group of friends, to put yourself out there. If you’re really annoying them, they’ll tell you, and if they don’t tell you, does it really matter?
It’s okay to talk, or to stay silent. Talk when you have something that is a positive contribution to the discussion, but if you don’t have anything to say, silence is okay. Not every thought you had must be said, every confusion clarified, every question answered; you don’t need to know everything.
Don’t judge others, and don’t let them judge you. Never judge other people for doing what they want to do; if it’s not harming anyone, there’s nothing wrong with it. Slut shaming is total bull; wear what you want, kiss who you want (with their consent,) and say what you want. Don’t base opinions of people on first impressions; sometimes the quiet girl in the corner is the funniest person you’ll ever meet. If you want to do something, just go do it; you only have so much time.
If you want to do something, do it. Spontaneity is good; not everything needs to be planned out. It is absolutely never a bad time to cuddle with friends or to have a spontaneous disney singalong. Never. Most importantly, just, be nice to people, and life your life to the fullest, because just a few weeks can change your life forever.
Try your hardest to stay happy. Things end, and that’s a sad reality, but try not to cry while something good is nearing its end; you only have a limited time with whatever that good thing may be, and wasting the last moments you have with sadness will just make you have regrets later on. Once it’s over, its okay to cry, but don’t stay in a dark hole forever; you can be sad, but make sure that after a while, you pick yourself up and continue with your life.
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