The Omega
I will admit that I dabbled in Teen Wolf back in the day and despite my "efforts," wolf terminology still resurfaces to the front of my brain every once in a while. For those who were graced to not have viewed this TV drama, an omega wolf is one that travels alone and hence does not have a pack.
This post is not a declaration of my wolf status, but rather an analysis of the relevance of this term and despite its negative connotations in the show, the reveal that being an omega is not all bad.
As I mentioned in my previous post I recently returned from a summer study abroad program in Perugia, Italy. Besides improve my Italian and cooking skills, this experience also helped me come out of my shell and - perhaps more importantly - become comfortable with myself in the sense of being confident enough to go on excursions on my own. I am not saying that I traveled from the southern tip of Italy to Switzerland on my own - although an omega wolf would be able to - but I did go on local adventures on my own such as visit churches and museums, go out to breakfast and lunch, walk around the city center, and shop.
I found that living in a city - albeit a small one - never made me feel lonely because even if I was alone in my apartment, I could go out into the piazza amongst the throng of people and feel a sense of community among them even though I didn't personally know anyone and probably didn't speak their language.
Regardless of these barriers I felt that I had broken through the barrier within myself. And yes I am cringing as well as the cliche-ness of that phrase, but nevertheless it still holds true. While I am pretty sure I will always be at least a little shy throughout my life, I felt confident enough to go on adventures on my own without shame or embarrassment that I wasn't surrounded by a group of friends. Of course I went on adventures with my friends just like I do at home, but it is important to be able to do both and be happy in both situations.
So, now that I have returned back to the states I am trying my best to find the same confidence I unearthed in Italy - despite the fact that I do not live in a city. Now that I am home - in a suburban town - I will admit that is hard to do things on your own without stressing about judgement from others. Thus, I started off small: long walks around my neighborhood, going to the local library, and taking gym classes. Then I slowly graduated to the next level of going to a local cafe on my own to do work and going on a walk in the town forest. After a doctor's appointment I had lunch in Beacon Hill and walked around this beautiful part of Boston. And you know what? A girl about my age was also eating lunch on her own with a book by her side - just like me - so even if you feel alone, you never really are.
I understand that to many these trips will seem like easy "adventures," but as someone who was always been self-conscious of doing things on her own this was a freeing realization - and one that is making my summer a lot less stationary.
I know that it can be hard to the find the motivation to go out and do something if you don't have another person joining you for the fun, but think of the alternative. Remaining inside all day, laying on your bed reading or watching Netflix, refreshing your instagram feed wishing you were being as productive as others. Allowing these feelings to overwhelm you reaps no benefits for your health or sanity. So I beseech you! Go out and explore the world around you! It may not be the same as a vacation in the tropics or a day trip to an exciting city, but even the smallest adventures can reap the biggest rewards.
Embrace your inner omega!
This post is not a declaration of my wolf status, but rather an analysis of the relevance of this term and despite its negative connotations in the show, the reveal that being an omega is not all bad.
As I mentioned in my previous post I recently returned from a summer study abroad program in Perugia, Italy. Besides improve my Italian and cooking skills, this experience also helped me come out of my shell and - perhaps more importantly - become comfortable with myself in the sense of being confident enough to go on excursions on my own. I am not saying that I traveled from the southern tip of Italy to Switzerland on my own - although an omega wolf would be able to - but I did go on local adventures on my own such as visit churches and museums, go out to breakfast and lunch, walk around the city center, and shop.
I found that living in a city - albeit a small one - never made me feel lonely because even if I was alone in my apartment, I could go out into the piazza amongst the throng of people and feel a sense of community among them even though I didn't personally know anyone and probably didn't speak their language.
Regardless of these barriers I felt that I had broken through the barrier within myself. And yes I am cringing as well as the cliche-ness of that phrase, but nevertheless it still holds true. While I am pretty sure I will always be at least a little shy throughout my life, I felt confident enough to go on adventures on my own without shame or embarrassment that I wasn't surrounded by a group of friends. Of course I went on adventures with my friends just like I do at home, but it is important to be able to do both and be happy in both situations.
So, now that I have returned back to the states I am trying my best to find the same confidence I unearthed in Italy - despite the fact that I do not live in a city. Now that I am home - in a suburban town - I will admit that is hard to do things on your own without stressing about judgement from others. Thus, I started off small: long walks around my neighborhood, going to the local library, and taking gym classes. Then I slowly graduated to the next level of going to a local cafe on my own to do work and going on a walk in the town forest. After a doctor's appointment I had lunch in Beacon Hill and walked around this beautiful part of Boston. And you know what? A girl about my age was also eating lunch on her own with a book by her side - just like me - so even if you feel alone, you never really are.
I understand that to many these trips will seem like easy "adventures," but as someone who was always been self-conscious of doing things on her own this was a freeing realization - and one that is making my summer a lot less stationary.
I know that it can be hard to the find the motivation to go out and do something if you don't have another person joining you for the fun, but think of the alternative. Remaining inside all day, laying on your bed reading or watching Netflix, refreshing your instagram feed wishing you were being as productive as others. Allowing these feelings to overwhelm you reaps no benefits for your health or sanity. So I beseech you! Go out and explore the world around you! It may not be the same as a vacation in the tropics or a day trip to an exciting city, but even the smallest adventures can reap the biggest rewards.
Embrace your inner omega!
Comments
Post a Comment