neon bums: August 2013

Since it is the start of the school year, the elections for student council has begun. Two of my friends are running, one for secretary and one for treasurer. The one running for secretary ran for vice president in the middle school student council and when she was campaigning, she went all out. She posted 3 posters on every floor, urged every student she ran into to vote for her and she also made handouts. She presented a superb speech, however she lost to a girl one grade younger than her. In the following week, I would walk beside her and she would be mopey and sad. She heard people laughing at her from under their breaths, doing that smile they would do as if they were looking down upon her.

This year, my friend who is running for treasurer is also going all out. Although I help her with her campaign by creating two posters for her, I still wish she didn't go all out. She created a facebook group, filmed a music video set to the music of Price Tag by Jessie J, and for the first few days of school, she gave out gold chocolate coins to every high schooler in the hallways only to get a blank stare in return. She is only a sophomore, running against a senior who has been treasurer about 4 times in his entire middle school, high school career. Already, I hear from my classmates that she is being too serious and that she is trying too hard.

People hate people who try too hard. People hate people who are too serious. They are annoyed by them and they also laugh at them. I do not know when trying hard became the uncool thing. I always thought that being serious about a result that you really wanted was always the way to go. Doesn't trying hard during the campaign show that you take the job seriously and will try your best if you do get elected? Since when did people get laughed at instead celebrated for trying hard?

However, the one that is trying the hardest would have to be a new student that just came in this year who is running for president. He doesn't speak English very well, however, he has gone all out, more out than both of my friends. He took photos of himself, made 10 different posters in photoshop, and printed them on a huge vinyl to hang around the school. Everybody points at those posters and giggles. The boy takes himself very seriously, however everyone else refuses to. He is very academically gifted, maybe not so much socially. I feel awkward whenever people around me make fun of his posters because he doesn't suspect anything iffy about it and I feel like I should help him but I know it won't work out well.

I do not know where the line between trying hard enough so that it's cool and trying too hard so that it's pathetic is drawn. Right now, I am too scared to do anything in fear that I might cross the line.

I have a Chemistry test tomorrow that I only found out about an hour ago. It is 12:58 and instead of studying, I am blogging.

inspiration xx