Coming from a rather formal performance background as a cellist in the New Albany Symphony Orchestra, I have typically felt secure on stage. Being lost in a sea of tuxedos where everyone is working in harmony to produce music is a thing of beauty to me, but at the same time, it has elicited a youthful desire to rebel and stand out. In a time where the norm for boys in my high school was to dress in sweatpants and sweatshirts every day, sophomore year, I decided to rebel against these “injustices” of fashion. Wearing a button-down shirt tucked into khakis has been my version of “sticking it to the man.”
Although I continued to enjoy dressing well junior year, I started to look for more creative ways to stand out. I heard about the girls’ volleyball games and decided to combine my rebellious energy with genuine school spirit by cheering for our team. In the volleyball student section, I met wonderful friends who encouraged me to exercise leadership and creativity. Zippy, David, and Winnie, boys who traveled with me up to 45 minutes to support the volleyball team, convinced me to enter a school karaoke competition with them under the name “The Acafellas.”
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I had enough butterflies in my stomach to make me entirely focused on my upcoming performance. While we danced and sang on stage, I prepared for my rap solo. As a sophomore, I would have never subjected myself to this risk, but I dove into it with confidence. Out of breath, I messed up the lyrics, but was able to recover well by mumbling the tune of the rap. At this moment, I realized I did not need to be perfect in order to gain respect from my peers and help them enjoy themselves. I was no longer nervous in the next performances because I noticed my peers’ respect for my willingness to go on stage in order to sacrifice my insecurities for their