Brandon Block, a freshman in the CGI Academy, received an honorable mention in the December Student Voices contest in The Asbury Park Press.  Below is a copy of his response to the topic, “What one song best represents your personality and outlook on life.”

Why does everyone think they need to be popular? Every school has its cliques, which include the popular kids, the jocks, and the nerds.  In the past, I wanted to be a part of the popular group.  I no longer want to be part of that clique, because it is not a positive thing to change who I am in order to fit in.  I believe that staying true to oneself is more important than “following the pack.”  The Popular Song,” by MIKA, best represents my personality and outlook on life because it demonstrates that being true to oneself is the only thing that leads to happiness and acceptance from others.

“The Popular Song” describes a typical high school experience from the point of view of someone who was a school nerd.  The song refers to the school bully, who terrorized the nerd by dunking his head in the toilet.  Although the bully was considered popular, he later became a janitor, while the nerd became a pop star.  The song also talks about how being a high school cheerleader or having a fancy car does not make you better than someone else.  Rather, the song sends the message that being true to yourself is the thing that defines you.

Personally, I do not care to be known as popular because that label does not interest me.  I would rather be known as a good student, a loyal friend, and a trustworthy person.  These “labels” are what define me, and I am proud of that.  I do not need to follow the crowd or change who I am, in order to be accepted.  I like my current friends, and quite frankly, none of them are necessarily considered popular. 

Many teenagers dream of what it would be like to be popular.  If being popular means changing who you are in order to be accepted, that is not something that I believe is worth the sacrifice.   The Popular Song,” by MIKA, expresses my outlook on life and what I believe to be the true meaning of being who you are.   If someone asks for my advice, I would recommend that they march to their own beat and stay true to what they believe in.