For the past three years, I’ve written about touchdowns, buzzer beaters, and last-minute goals and wins. Sports writing was comfortable as it was about facts, highlights, and quoting student-athletes who give their all on and off the field. But today, I wanted to write something different. Something personal.
As I head into the final stretch of senior year, one question keeps replaying in my mind: Is popularity enough? Is being well-liked enough? What filter would I put on myself today?
I’ve walked these same halls for three years. I’ve watched the posed Instagram stories, seen the carefully curated posts meant to rack up likes, and heard the quiet whispers of who’s “in,” who’s “out,” and who’s just trying to keep their head above water. And if I’m honest, I sometimes wonder…do people really see me and each other? Or am I or we just drifting until the “next step” finally arrives?
Earlier this year, I took a class called Mustang Market. At first, the presentations felt awkward, forced even. But they made me think about why we care so much about how we’re perceived. Why do we chase approval like it’s a trophy? Why do we value being seen more than simply being ourselves?
I believe God has a plan for my life. I believe my steps are ordered, even the messy ones. So why do I get caught up trying to look polished for an audience that may never see the real me anyway? Why do we hide the unfiltered, the awkward, the vulnerable sides of ourselves or the very things that make us human?
It’s exhausting. And yet, we all do it.
One thing that’s given me hope this year is watching our “Humans of KHS” column grow under Shifa Soban’s leadership. It’s raw. It’s honest. It tells the truth about who we are, not just who we want people to think we are. That’s the kind of storytelling I want to see more of. That’s the kind of newspaper I believe in, one driven by students, filled with creative expression, and built on authenticity.
We’ll still celebrate the big wins in sports, fine arts, and academics, but starting this year, we’re also going to shine a light on the stories in between. The quiet victories. The overlooked journeys. The real lives walking beside us every day at Kingwood High School.
High school has been a rollercoaster for me. Full of growth, failure, laughter, and lessons I never saw coming. It wasn’t always easy. It wasn’t always fun. But it was real.
So is popularity enough and being well-liked or being seen enough? Honestly, I don’t think it is. I think what matters more is whether we love others well. Whether we help others feel seen, instead of spending all our energy trying to be seen. I believe my faith for me, authenticity, being real, imperfect, and brave is what truly lasts. Maybe college will be the place where more of us start showing up that way. I hope it is.
But even if it’s not, I’m learning that being yourself is worth more than being liked. And that’s a lesson I’ll carry with me wherever I go. We are asking you to join us as a call to action and sharing your perspectives via our student-run newspaper.
This year, we’re holding twice-monthly newspaper meetings, and we’re looking for voices from every corner of Kingwood High School. DM us on Instagram, or reach out to our leadership team. Whether you’ve written before or not, we want to hear from you.
We’re starting fresh. We’re getting stronger. And we’re building something that matters. How do you sing up: Fill out this interest form and join our remind @khsmm252 to become a staff writer for the paper. We will also be at Walk the Schedule this year and hold our first meeting at the end of August.
SIGN UP TODAY and let us know your interested TODAY! Start Writing this summer.
Let’s leave a legacy worth writing about.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”―
