You can own more than one story!
Alice, one of 91黑料不打烊’s drama co-captains, shares her thoughts about owning your stories, because we should not be defined by a single story.
As an extremely indecisive person, for me, the action of ‘owning one’s story’ seems a little too singular. What can truly encompass a story that is unfinished, shaped, perceived and constantly changing? That is why I have taken the liberty to change the prefect initiative for this short speech to ‘own your stories’.
For me to own my stories, is to own an extremely varied nature of myself, to accept and champion all of my ongoing stories. And in this time of social media, where microtrends create different ‘phases’ in us, we must own that these are parts of our stories.
In my stories, there is quite a large book called swimming, a time when, as my friends like to remind me, I asked everyone to call me bubbles. There are chapters of success and failure, a large book on the different colours I’ve dyed my hair and many, many chapters of moments of embarrassment – all laid out in Times New Roman font.
My stories also have very detailed footnotes and referencing – tributes to all the people around me who influenced me to be who I am today. Yet, plagiarism may still occur, whether it be copying my friends into a battle of extra-curriculars, cutting bangs or getting a vest. And that, in this instance, is OK when looked back on.
My stories are extremely varied, from being a swimmer, a comedian, historian, partial music theory aficionado, font enthusiast or underground mah-jong player. It may have taken time, but I can say that I own the fact I have many stories, and there is no need to choose a particular direction, or interest or school subject to define yourself by. We limit ourselves too much, and especially, we limit others. We should never let others define our stories, or tell us what to be.
Now you may be wondering why I have brought the bust of Mozart to this lectern. It’s a part of my many stories, whether the chapter is closed, unfinished or ripe with literary annotations. This guy has come to represent me owning all the quirks and strange hobbies that make up the parts of my story, and I hope that you can too, own your stories.
Alice, Year 12
Drama Co-Captain