Gaya gaya, Puto Maya, Paglaki Buwaya! (aka Copy Cats)

I think it is in the Filipino culture to follow the latest trend that many are either wearing, using, saying or even in looks. As I was growing up, I am different from my friends. Aside from the fact that I am big and not so many trendy clothes fit me, I got used to have my own style and personality. For example, if everyone has a Jennifer Aniston haircut (since way back when, Friends are so popular), I get a boy's cut. I also remembered how almost everyone including my sisters and cousins are watching Sex and the City, I was watching something else. It doesn't interests me to be in the band wagon. If everyone is doing Yoga, I'd rather lift weights and run on a treadmill (but I don't do neither, I do an exercise routine similar to P90X) I find it more appealing to be a non-conformist. I also view copycats differently, there's nothing wrong with it, but where is your originality if you pretend to be someone else that you are really not. If everyone is wearing lacoste shirts, I'd wear something else. I remembered I often wear the oversized shirt in school when the hottest trend was a short or kinda hanging polo shirt for girls. Cellular phones are getting smaller and I got the Nokia 2110--the biggest of the nokia series. There were a lot of things that I do differently because I never want to be labeled as a copycat. I want to stand-out and be unforgettable to people I meet. This may have a good or bad effect, but still, I made an impression and that's what matters to me.

I dealt with weight issues all my life and I think this is both a blessing and a setback (not a curse!). A blessing because this way, people recognize me and sees me as someone who overcome being teased and still afford to make a statement and not care about it at all. Instead, I do something that they'll tell themselves in their mind, "You know what, she maybe fat but she is pretty darn good in..." (just fill in the blanks whatever compliment they think fits--e.g. acting). A setback of it was, I just can't wear what most wear or get a hot boyfriend, but other than that, that was it. When I moved to the U.S., I realized that this issue I am having is easy fix, but now that I have been showing great improvement with my weight and body built, I actually don't intend to join the band wagon and do what many girls do. I still want to see myself as a girl who stands out because I have a certain style in clothes, different hairstyle that only I can look good at, or own car that not so many would buy.

If people feel good about copying others, I won't even stop them, I would be happy for them. I guess what I am trying to squeeze out of my mind is that, If a person is so confident of themselves, why not make up your own style, do a different workout routine that's not so popular, drink a cocktail that is stronger than the usual, or more so, find a guy/girl that is totally out of your league and see if you can sweep them off your feet. That to me is originality and being different makes one unforgettable and interesting.