This poem is a lot about the perspective of ourselves from a stranger’s eyes. The way the world sees us compared to the way we see ourselves may often be completely different. However, I believe there is great importance in the way we display ourselves. We are a product of everything we have experienced, and it is important to celebrate and tell our story. By doing so, we may realize we all have a lot more in common. We are all human and as such, we experience life with similar thoughts, reactions, and sensory interactions. Yet it is often easier to look at a stranger with hostility than with kindness. I know that most people may claim to “not care” how others see them, but I believe that this is what causes the disconnect. You SHOULD care, we should ALL care. As humans, we are all we have, we often look to each other in times of crisis, we are interdependent on one another.

With this perspective, I try to tell parts of my story through implicative questions. I ask the questions that I sometimes ask myself in the mirror. Do I look like someone who knows what they are doing? What kind of an impression do I give off at first glance? I often wonder what a potential employer/recruiter thinks of me. I wonder what my peers think of me. My classmates, potential friends, coworkers, project teammates… what do they all see when I stand before them? I know the relationship I want to have with people I meet and an important part of getting there is using this feedback.

This poem was inspired by a lot of the soul searching that took place my first and second years of college. I thought I had learned everything there was to know about being an adult and being a functioning member of society. When I got to UC San Diego, I met so many new people, saw so many new places, and learned so many new things. I quickly learned that I was a big fish in a small pond that had been suddenly immersed into the ocean. There were many highs and many low throughout my experience. Some days I felt on top of the world and other days I was ready to drop out. Luckily, I made friends and met people who made the experience worthwhile. I’d encourage everyone to try putting themselves out there as vulnerable as it may feel.

I choose to end the poem on a positive note. I got this far and looking back I am so glad that I did. When first starting anything, it is always hard to commit. I often worry and debate and think of all that I can lose. My focus lately has been shifted to thinking about all that I can gain. My understanding has expanded every time I have made a decision that made me feel this way be it going to community college, transferring to university, moving to a different state, visiting another country, etc. If you want change but aren’t scared of the decisions you are making to achieve it, then it may not be enough to change your life.