As a child, I did not have a favorite shirt, blanket or tiara. I had a favorite pair of shoes. Ever since I can remember, I have always had a pair of Crocs on my feet. These are my signature shoes. When I was a toddler, I wore pink Crocs that looked like alligators, elementary school brought Mickey Mouse Crocs and now I wear teal Crocs. These shoes made me who I am; they are a significant aspect of my identity. I always felt confident if I was wearing these shoes. In middle school, this attitude changed. When I wore my favorite Crocs to school during 6th grade, I started to get funny questions. “Why are you wearing Crocs?” “Aren’t those just house slippers?” “Those are lame shoes.” People did not think Crocs were the best shoe like I did. I slowly stopped wearing my favorite Crocs out in public, saving them for the comfort of my home. 

Once I reached high school, I started to become more confident. Even though people still made jokes about my shoe of choice, I learned that their words did not affect me. They may not like my shoes, but my Crocs make me happy, and that is all that matters. I found friends that accepted me for who I was. Even though my friends may not think Crocs are as cool as I do, they still respect that these shoes make me happy. 

Don’t change something about you just because others don’t like it. I let what others thought about me prevent me from wearing my favorite shoes. There are people out there who will love this real, authentic version of you. Changing to fit in with the crowd puts a cage around the real you. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Missouri FFA, don’t be afraid to rock your Crocs.