Middle schooler goes viral wondering why she’s not good enough
Middle school can be one of the hardest times of a kid’s life. Not only are they going through changes, but the level of social interaction expected of them raises significantly as well. It is this very social awkwardness that makes life as a middle schooler so difficult.
One seventh-grader wrote a poem about it and even had the courage to read it aloud in front of her classmates.
A poem from the heart
A student at Queen Creek Middle School in Arizona, Olivia Vella had written the poem as an end-of-year assignment given by one of her teachers. Now, Olivia could have gone for something simple, but she chose to tackle a more difficult topic, the life of a middle schooler and all that it entails.
‘Why am I not good enough?’
Titled “Why am I not good enough,” the poem touched upon a day in the life of Olivia as seen through her eyes. The powerful poem touched upon her daily struggles and the simple desire just to fit in.
The daily struggle of a middle schooler
Over a six-minute span of time, Olivia talks about what she goes through each day at school. She starts by talking about how her day starts, reciting:
“Every part of your outfit is uncomfortable, but even though you spend hours trying to look pretty, you will never be as good as those other girls at school.”
Most touching of all is the way she delivers her poem at the head of the classroom in front of all of her peers. With an emotion that belies her age, Olivia delivers a touching reading of her poem, bravely pouring out her heart in the process.
As she recites her poem, she talks about life as a middle schooler and all of the doubts it brings about oneself. Olivia talks about the judgment that kids have for each other and themselves, and what it is like to deal with all of the varied emotions that she, and others of her age, experience each day at school.
At the top of this list is the plummeting self-esteem as her mind races with negative thoughts. Olivia says it best when she recites a part of her poem that gives a good look into the world of many her age.
“You look at other girls wishing you were them, but other girls are looking at you wishing they were you.”
Ending on a powerful note
Despite all of the sadness and struggle Olivia’s poem talks about, it ends on a powerful note:
“But society is wrong. You are loved, you are precious, you are beautiful, you are talented, you are capable, you are deserving of respect, you can eat that meal, you are one in seven billion. And most of all, you are good enough.”
The video touched the hearts of millions online
The video of Olivia reciting the poem impacted more than just her classmates. So far, the video has over 18 million views on YouTube. In response to the overall reaction to her poem, Olivia had this to say to ABC News:
“The reaction to the video shows I am not alone. We are not alone in how we feel.”
For the full poem and its powerful message, watch the video below.
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