If Only I Knew Then What I do Now....
Hey! I’m Merritt Johnson, I’m currently a junior and an ad/pr major here at University fo central Florida. I am from the Keys and loveeee being outside and in the water. I am a big animal lover and love volunteering at the local shelter in the keys. My mom and I trapped over 40 feral cats got them spayed and neutered and feed them every day. I have a little sister that’s 13, her hormones are now raging, but we are like best friends. I took women’s studies with professor Preston this summer, and got a lot out of it and loved it. I am also currently enrolled in her WST 3621 class this semester.
I didn't really relate myself to Anna, in “Your Life As a Girl”. I have never been athletic, yet I was not the homecoming queen or anything like that. For awhile I tried cheerleading, soccer, softball, lacrosse, only to find I’m very un-coordinated. I hung out with the pretty popular girls only to realize they were fake and not my friend. At that point, I didn’t care who I hung out with or what I was characterized I hung out with the people who liked me for me, jocks, goths, gays, preppies. You’re better off in my opinion if your friends with everyone. It seemed as if Anna had no control of the situation and she had no identity for herself. I did agree with how Sittenfeld showed how girls are never pretty enough or always feel insecure. I know that during middle school, I was quite the outcast. I had braces, pimples, my hair was frizzy. In high school, I grew up real fast and suddenly everyone, including the boys were really nice to me. I have always been a good judge of character and I knew they were not my true friends as they hated me when I was awkward but now that I’m pretty and fun they like me?! It hit a home with me, as my sister is now in 8th grade. She is getting boobs, pimples and quite moody. All of her friends switch friends every week, gossip about boys on the phone and have constant drama. These things are something that I do not miss. My mom always used to give me advice in middle and high school and she’d say “believe me, I would have been the most popular girl with all the boys if I knew then what I do now.” Of course, I didn’t listen to her but as I get older I realized she’s right. I related to Sittenfields quote, “Everything about you is horrifying, your voice, body, hair, inability to be witty and panicky desires for approval and companionship.” She also says in high school, you are either a slut or a prude, which I found to be true. If you had sex you were a slut and if you didn’t you were a prude? So either way you could not win.
I found the stories in Red to be more uplifting and happy. I liked the Story of Kirsten Oldroyd, and her first true love. Honestly, I started reading it because it was about her “first true love” ad I thought I’d get sucked into a 13 year olds love story, as I was always crushing on boys and falling in love fast. Truth is her story is much deer and has a great meaning. She was only 13, I was more like 16. For her, her love was rock wall climbing. I loved how she said on page 180, “I’ve met some of the most amazing and interesting people through climbing. They accept me for who I am and help me figure out who that is.” She also tells how there are still labels there like jocks and tatted up girls but everyone’s falling down and asking for help. I think this story was very inspiring how at 13, this girl realizes who she is and is not scared about being herself and learning about others. I only wish that my sister turns out to be open minded and be a leader!
I didn't really relate myself to Anna, in “Your Life As a Girl”. I have never been athletic, yet I was not the homecoming queen or anything like that. For awhile I tried cheerleading, soccer, softball, lacrosse, only to find I’m very un-coordinated. I hung out with the pretty popular girls only to realize they were fake and not my friend. At that point, I didn’t care who I hung out with or what I was characterized I hung out with the people who liked me for me, jocks, goths, gays, preppies. You’re better off in my opinion if your friends with everyone. It seemed as if Anna had no control of the situation and she had no identity for herself. I did agree with how Sittenfeld showed how girls are never pretty enough or always feel insecure. I know that during middle school, I was quite the outcast. I had braces, pimples, my hair was frizzy. In high school, I grew up real fast and suddenly everyone, including the boys were really nice to me. I have always been a good judge of character and I knew they were not my true friends as they hated me when I was awkward but now that I’m pretty and fun they like me?! It hit a home with me, as my sister is now in 8th grade. She is getting boobs, pimples and quite moody. All of her friends switch friends every week, gossip about boys on the phone and have constant drama. These things are something that I do not miss. My mom always used to give me advice in middle and high school and she’d say “believe me, I would have been the most popular girl with all the boys if I knew then what I do now.” Of course, I didn’t listen to her but as I get older I realized she’s right. I related to Sittenfields quote, “Everything about you is horrifying, your voice, body, hair, inability to be witty and panicky desires for approval and companionship.” She also says in high school, you are either a slut or a prude, which I found to be true. If you had sex you were a slut and if you didn’t you were a prude? So either way you could not win.
I found the stories in Red to be more uplifting and happy. I liked the Story of Kirsten Oldroyd, and her first true love. Honestly, I started reading it because it was about her “first true love” ad I thought I’d get sucked into a 13 year olds love story, as I was always crushing on boys and falling in love fast. Truth is her story is much deer and has a great meaning. She was only 13, I was more like 16. For her, her love was rock wall climbing. I loved how she said on page 180, “I’ve met some of the most amazing and interesting people through climbing. They accept me for who I am and help me figure out who that is.” She also tells how there are still labels there like jocks and tatted up girls but everyone’s falling down and asking for help. I think this story was very inspiring how at 13, this girl realizes who she is and is not scared about being herself and learning about others. I only wish that my sister turns out to be open minded and be a leader!
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