What a loaded question, right? It seems like our society is fueled by this obsession with self-expression.  “Be who you wanna be” seems like the anthem of our generation (well, at least mine).  But how is it that in a world that is so unique, I find myself feeling lost in a sea of similarity.

A college campus is a perfect example.  I don’t know what it was like in your college town, but at The University of Alabama (roll tide!) we all look like slobs…seriously.  The trend right now is XXL t-shirts that are so big they cover your Nike Tempos, and everyone is rocking the Ray Bans.  Walking through campus is the most confusing thing ever.  You often run into the awkward hand wave as you pass acquaintances by.  Please tell me you have experienced this.  Since everyone looks the same, it is very easy to mistake one person for another, thus leading to the awkward hand wave.  I digress.

Expression: How you express who you are.

The only problem with expression is that, what if you don’t know who you are? Then we come to the problem with self-expression.  It has moved from self to society.  We just do what everyone else does, and everyone else does what you do.  This plays into our similarity as humans.  We are all just a bunch of people trying to be unique, ultimately, being the same.  So how do we “be different”? Or more of “ourselves.”

Well, I think the first thing is figuring out who you are.  It’s actually much easier than you would think.  Just take a bunch of personality test, and read some books and you’re well on your way.  It’s the accepting part that has everyone in a jumble.

So next, accept that you are unique. Different. Entwined with a special inner-working that no one else has.  I would like to take this time to thank God for making you different from me.

So, how do you express yourself  in a society-expressed world?

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This blog was written by our design intern, Alexa Verroi. Alexa is a student at the University of Alabama majoring in Advertising, minoring in Art.  In her free time she likes to cook, watch Family Guy, and visit Hobby Lobby.