......What does it mean "to be Cool"?

Good evening everyone, and thank you for attending this very special night which has displayed various talents and gifts. I would like to share with you a speech that is about awareness, and hopefully it will open your eyes to some of the hurtful things we do to each other

There was a girl at a bus stop. She was only thirteen when a group of guys approached her and teased her by calling her names. As this was going on, the girl began to think of her situation at school. She knew that she was not accepted by the "popular girls", but she was constantly trying to win their approval. The guys proceeded to make fun of her, calling her ugly and fat. These names were hurtful, but she could deal with them. That was the phrase, "You're such a nerd." She knew then, that in their minds, she would never be cool.

What is cool? I've pondered this question for many years now. According to the dictionary, the word means composed or unruffled. Over the years, this word has been used in many different ways, but for this generation, the word symbolizes power and authority. The people looked upon as not cool often have low self-esteem, and they are vulnerable to what other people think of them. We, as a society, need to encourage these people to come out of their shells and do the things that make them feel "cool".

This word most often comes up with teenagers. We, as a collective group, have changed what is the rightful meaning of the word to something that is associated with identity. This is where we've gone wrong. Each person has their own unique identity that we are lucky enough to experience. The word "cool" should not be associated with identity. This is an adjective that people use to hurt other people. It is a word to indicate what is different from the norm. Coming from a teenager, it is a power trip. If people were created equal, why should people be led to feel that there is something wrong with them, or that they are not good enough to compete with the "popular crowds".

Many things are characterized with the word "cool". A cool person is believed to be one who has a lot of friends, who is attractive, intelligent, witty, and has a projection of self-confidence. These things make a strong person. The stereotype that we have created implies that these characteristics cannot be associated with just anyone, but only those who are more accepted by their community. The "left-over" characteristics such as shyness, plainness, and average are the ones that are given to the underdogs. The unfortunate thing here is that we've grouped these people and they now believe that that is how they're supposed to be. What we don't realize is that deep down they too possess man y of the characteristics we associate with being cool. They've just been pushed so far down that they don't have a chance to express them.

Out of being confident and collective can come another great gift. This is the gift of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm by definition is to be inspired and to use this inspiration as a way to project strong feelings. A person does not have to be powerful to be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm does however require someone that has a strong belief in something. They have to be convincing, but also project a love for love what they're talking about. This wont be hard to distinguish because if a person sounds bored, it should be easy to tell that they don't like, or believe what they're talking about.

In my own personal opinion, an enthusiastic person is one who is willing to stand proudly for what they believe in, and are not easily influenced by others with different beliefs. It is also someone who is not scared to share their feelings, no matter what others think. A person who is energetic about a topic is definitely enthusiastic. Another point to mention is that enthusiasm is contagious. When I asked a few people what they thought this word meant, many people felt that confidence and leadership should be at the top of the list. I agree with them because if you are trying to convince others to do something, you have to be a leader.

Another point that should be made is that everyone possesses the gift of enthusiasm. It is where they choose to use it that differs. What this means is that not everybody feels the same about different issues. That is what makes us all unique, the fact that we value different things, but we also respect the views that other people have. For me, I think having a strong opinion of what's not cool leads to my enthusiasm.

You may ask how being cool and enthusiastic relate to each other. The answer to this has to be found within our own hearts. Is being cool really that important, or would you rather focus your energy on things that you believe in? I think the answer to this is very clear because we have to believe that what other people think of us is not important. If we succumb to the judgements of other people, then we have really let ourselves down.

For many people, trying to get to the top is an impossible dream. It is a fight against the crowd of people looking down at you. Many people have come to realize that it is who we are that is most important, not who we try to be.

The girl that I mentioned at the beginning of my speech went home and thought really hard about what had happened. She came to realize that she loved who she was, and that was all that mattered. Sure it is hard to be looked down upon, but it is definitely making her a stronger person. She knows that she has a great circle of friends that will always be there for her. The support she is given is enough to make her happy. What she doesn't realize is that she is the cool person in this situation because she is mature enough to move on with her life despite what others may think.

We have to remember what our values are, and what is most important to us. Being cool is what we make of ourselves, not what others create for us. It is when we learn to be hurtful that we become hurtful to a targeted group. We think that we are being cool when we do this, but is not cool, it's racist, a form of hate and crime.