If You Really Knew Me

A few days ago, while I was channel surfing out of boredom, I came across this show on MTV, If You Really Knew Me. It's a reality TV series that focuses in youth subculture and different cliques in high school. The students participate in a program called Challenge Day. It breaks down stereotypes and unite students in schools. At Challenge Day, students from all walks of life gather together in one room. Then each student is assigned to a group where they must reveal something personal about themselves. It's at this point where each student begins their dialog with the words "If you really knew me..." The goal of Challenge Day is to demonstrate to students the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth, and full expression.

I suddenly remembered my high school days. We don't have the subcultures and stereotypes, but somehow I can relate to the students in the show.

I was a nobody back in high school. I was picked on a lot. I was constantly teased about being a geek or a nerd. I guess I was just different from all the girls back then. I used to wear glasses, I hang out in the library instead of checking out this cute guy, I was an avid video game player, I dressed mostly in jeans and shirt (I hated dresses), I did not "go with the flow" and I never followed the latest trends. I was labelled as "weird" that's why no one talked to me so much. Once, my classmate even called me "ugly". I also had friends, but never I was in a big barkada. Little did my schoolmates know that I was struggling emotionally, because my parents' marriage was falling apart. No one cared to ask, no one cared to know. It's just not fair.

We all hear, read and know these awful news from the United States about school shootouts because of an oppressed student. I'm just glad these things do not happen in our country. I know bullying is not rampant here which I'm really relieved to know. I just hope students sometimes consider their classmates' feelings before they tease and call names. They must think that this student they're picking on must be struggling mentally or emotionally or spiritually and that explains why he or she is acting different from everyone else. I hope students would never again be able to say they didn't know that negative judgments, thoughtless jokes, rumors, or oppressive behaviors, comments or violence hurts people. I just hope there will be change. :)