Dear Popular Me: I Will Forever Be Popular in That Sense
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Have you ever wanted to revisit high school or middle school?
Like, could you imagine going back in time?
Doing it all over again?
I didn't have a horrible time in middle school or high school.
I was well known.
I was well liked.
I had fun.
But the idea of not having control over my life?
My parents still telling me what I can do?
When I can do it?
Does not appeal to me.
Today?
I hung out with my middle schoolers.
And I recognized just how well-liked I actually am.
Miss Jamesha, Miss Jamesha, Miss Jamesha
Today was a short day at school.
It was our B day.
So we only had so many classes.
Throwy Throwy Kid was there.
My kid was obviously there.
And a couple of others that I recognize.
They were all just kind of doing their thing.
But it's funny to me?
Because anytime they would do something?
Miss Jamesha.
Miss Jamesha.
Miss Jamesha.
I've quickly become a fixture in their lives.
Where I wasn't.
They're coming to me to tell me things?
Trivial things.
Important things.
Hey, I've got this game.
I'm sick.
I'm not gonna make it to my game.
Hey, we had a game.
We lost horribly.
So I mentioned it to Throwy Throwy Kid:
I heard you guys lost your game Wednesday.
"How'd you know?"
I got peoples.
Then I told him who told me.
And he's like:
Yeah.
That makes more sense.
I'm Gonna Sit in the Back With Miss Jamesha
At this point?
They all come back and tell me:
This is what happened.
This is what's going on.
But today?
That took a turn for me.
I'm sitting in the classroom.
Minding my own.
Letting the teacher do her thing.
And Throwy Throwy Kid goes:
"I'm gonna go sit in the back with Miss Jamesha."
Gets up from his seat.
Removes himself from what he was doing.
And comes to sit with me?
To do his work.
That has never happened.
He is so easily distracted.
He'll sit there?
Talk to everybody.
Today?
He said:
Nope.
I'm gonna move myself.
Guys, I'm in the Circle Now
So he moves himself.
Comes and sits with me.
He's working on his problems.
Then we start talking.
Joking around.
I start teasing him?
Because he borrowed a pen from some girl.
We're laughing.
Joking.
And guys?
I'm in the circle now.
I'm officially in the circle.
I get to know who's dating who.
How that's going.
He was dropping all the tea.
And I'm just like:
Do tell.
Let me know.
Who's dating who?
Who likes who?
He was giving me all the information.
Will I Always Listen? Yes.
And in the grandiose world?
That means nothing.
Right?
They're middle schoolers.
Do we really have that much interest?
In who's dating who?
As an adult?
No.
Will I always say I'm interested?
Yes.
Will I always listen?
When they tell me these things?
Yes.
Because I am important enough?
For them to come tell me things?
That are important to them.
You wanna tell me who's dating who?
Who likes who?
I'll listen any day of the week.
You Got Grounded for What?
You wanna talk to me about:
I got grounded at home.
What'd you get grounded for?
"Well, I may have done this, that, and the other."
Okay.
Well.
Maybe we don't do those things.
But that's just it.
We talk about little kids?
How when they're in elementary school?
And they like their teacher?
They spill everything.
My mommy said this.
My daddy does that.
The whole business.
Your teens do it too.
Just differently.
And it takes a lot more trust?
For your teens to do it?
Than your little kids.
And apparently?
I've earned that trust.
I've Become Popular With the Kids
I've earned the trust to know?
Numerous things.
About numerous parents.
Numerous kids.
At the school.
I've become popular with the kids.
To the point where they're asking:
Where are you?
Where are you going?
What are you doing?
"You in the business?"
Yes.
"You know what that song is?"
Yes.
They don't see the world?
The way adults see the world.
At the End of the Day, They're Just Kids
They're learning about politics.
Who does what.
How things happen.
What the world is creating.
They're listening.
Growing.
Taking in all this extra information.
But at the end of the day?
They're just kids.
Who enjoy their time with each other.
A kid asked me today:
"Miss Jamesha, what's your favorite movie?"
I said:
Well.
It's an old movie.
I don't think you'll recognize it.
Another kid says:
"I love old movies."
It's not black-and-white old.
It's just older.
I'm not that old.
Is It Coming to America?
The first kid says:
"What kind of movie is it?"
It's a romance.
And the second kid?
"Is it Coming to America?"
No.
I'm not even sure?
Why you would jump to that conclusion.
But no.
That's not it.
And I could tell when he said it?
He didn't mean anything by it.
He's a teen.
Preteen.
There was no filter.
Just:
Thought.
Words.
Then he got embarrassed.
They Just Wanted to Talk to Me
Yes.
I could have taken it completely differently.
Gotten upset.
How dare you?
Why would you say that?
But they don't see the world like that.
They saw an adult?
They wanted to talk to.
Wanted to get to know.
Someone they wanted to share interests with.
At this point?
I've got girls asking me:
"Is he cute?"
Mind you.
Not guys in their school.
Men they're looking up online.
"Isn't he cute?"
No.
He's not.
In order to be nice?
I'm gonna walk away from this conversation.
"We think he's just so hot."
I mean?
You could do better.
I'm Glad My Opinion Matters
Not this school.
I'm not doing that.
The guys at your school?
I can't do that for you.
I will never look at them that way.
So I cannot confirm nor deny?
Their status for you.
But I'm glad?
My opinion matters enough?
That you want to talk to me about it.
You wanna check my nails.
Play in my hair.
It's that age?
Where everything is so muddled.
We're Still a Kid, but We're Not a Kid
Because the same kid?
Who wants to look at my nails?
"They're so pretty."
"I love your nails."
Is the same kid?
Who wants to sit and play in my hair.
Those are two drastically different age groups.
It's a drastically different world.
Because we're still a kid?
But we're not a kid.
It's so complicated being a preteen.
I would never want to go back.
But I'm glad they've decided?
I'm someone they can trust.
Someone they can talk to.
And there's no judgment.
Miss Jamesha, She Won't Give Me Gum
I'm someone they know.
To the point?
Someone gets petty.
"Miss Jamesha, she won't give me a piece of gum."
Is it her gum?
"Yes."
Okay.
Then no.
Did you think that was gonna work?
"Well, yeah. I thought she'd make her."
Why would I do that?
But I get to be involved?
In these little petty minor disagreements.
I knew they were joking.
I knew he didn't actually think?
I was gonna force somebody to give him gum.
But it's just:
I'm included in their day.
Things They Choose to Do
When they walk by me?
They fist bump me.
Say hi.
Make jokes.
Walk with me.
Things they don't have to do.
Things they choose to do.
I have become the popular kid?
At middle school.
Wherever You Go, You Know Somebody
And when I think about how I was?
In middle school.
High school.
I wasn't necessarily?
The popular girl?
In the strategic sense of being popular.
But I knew a lot of people.
I went to a really big high school.
And when I would walk across campus?
My friends would get upset.
"Wherever you go, you know somebody."
Well.
Yeah.
I know a lot of people.
"No. You're just really popular."
"You're a social butterfly."
I Am a Social Butterfly
I am a social butterfly.
I like everybody.
I don't know how not to like everybody?
For the most part.
So I make friends easily.
And because I make friends easily?
I know a lot of people.
Although that was me?
Grade school.
Middle school.
High school.
I don't feel like?
I have that same sensibility now.
I don't feel like I make friends?
The same way.
Remember When Making Friends Was Easy?
Remember when?
You used to make friends based off of:
"I like that color."
"That's my favorite color too."
"I'm also five years old."
Those days are great.
Now?
It's like:
Do you have a schedule?
That's slightly similar to mine?
Where we might be able to share our trauma together?
Maybe?
I miss being popular?
In the sense that?
I had friends I wanted to talk to?
On the phone all night long.
I Miss That
Not about depressing:
Life is hard.
Kind of things.
Although those things are important too.
But popular in the sense?
That we just enjoyed our time together.
I miss that.
I wish we could get that back.
That peaceful time?
Where the biggest worry was:
Do you think he likes me?
What did she say about my hair?
Why Does Everything Have to Be a Fight?
We don't live in those days anymore.
Right now?
We live in a world?
Where we're debating human needs.
Common decency.
Things I never thought?
I'd ever have to argue?
Or explain?
To somebody.
Can we please?
Just go back to:
That's my favorite snack too.
And finding the small things?
That made us friends to begin with.
Why does everything have to be a fight?
Some Things Are Worth Fighting For
And let me say this?
Before anybody takes it the wrong way.
There are certain things?
Worth fighting for.
I will fight tooth and nail?
For them.
But I shouldn't have to.
I shouldn't have to fight you?
To help take care of somebody.
I shouldn't have to fight you?
To love somebody.
Care about somebody?
Outside of yourself.
Those aren't fights.
Those should never be fights.
We're Twins
It should be simple.
You're wearing a green shirt.
I'm wearing a green shirt.
I have black shoes.
You have black shoes.
We're twins.
We're twins.
We're the same.
Man.
Weren't things easier to understand?
When that was what we based things on?
Apparently, I'm Popular Again
So?
I'm popular in middle school again.
I didn't think?
At my age?
That would be the case.
I keep getting told?
I don't look my age.
"Miss Jamesha, we didn't think you were that old."
Thanks?
"We thought you were in your twenties."
I don't know?
What you guys think 20 looks like.
But?
I'll take that as a compliment.
They've Decided I'm Someone They Can Trust
It's great knowing?
That I've made such an effect?
On kids' lives?
In the short month I've been there?
That they feel like?
I'm someone they can trust.
Someone they can talk to.
And I strive for that?
In all the things I do.
When I started Unperfectly Perfect.
When I started Dear Journal.
The whole concept?
Was to let voices be heard.
People be seen.
She's Gonna Listen to Me
That they could say:
If there's nothing else?
She is one person I know?
Will sit and talk to me?
About whatever's on my mind.
Big.
Small.
Ugly.
Pretty.
Good.
Bad.
She's gonna listen.
And not only?
Is she gonna listen?
She's not gonna diminish it?
Because she thinks less of it.
I'm Never Going to Tell Them It Doesn't Matter
It's never gonna be:
Why would I care?
That your friend in middle school?
Has a boyfriend.
I'm never gonna do:
You're too young?
To have boyfriends and girlfriends.
They don't feel like they're too young.
Let's talk about it.
Let's have a discussion.
Let's talk about?
Why you feel the need.
What you think that means?
In your life right now.
Does having a boyfriend or girlfriend mean?
You just like them a lot?
You wanna hang out with them?
More than somebody else?
Well then?
Yeah.
Okay.
That's not a problem.
Sometimes?
We have favorite friends?
That we wanna hang out with more.
I Enjoy Being Someone People Can Trust
I don't know.
I just?
Enjoy being someone?
Who people can trust.
And talk to.
I enjoy being someone?
Who always cares.
I'm never going to regret?
That I'm a caring human being?
Who sees people in need?
And wants to help.
Wants to listen.
I will forever be popular?
In that sense.
My Bite of Pie
So?
My Bite of Pie today.
Hmm.
I watched my Celtics win tonight.
I was disappointed?
That we didn't play our starters.
Although?
For good reason.
The season starts next week.
But?
I watched them win.
And it wasn't just?
Watching them win.
It was how they won.
We Weren't Playing Our Starters
We played the 76ers last week.
We had our starters in.
And the game?
Was astronomically bad for the Sixers.
And I thought:
Well.
That makes sense.
They weren't playing their starters.
So this time?
I'm like:
They're playing their starters.
And we're playing—
Nope.
We're not playing our starters.
Well then?
They should blow us out.
The way we blew them out.
Because we're not playing starters.
And we won.
Why Are You Getting Frustrated?
At first?
I was getting frustrated.
Like:
Hey.
We're losing this game.
Then I'm like:
Why are you getting frustrated?
We're not playing our A team.
Some of these guys?
Wouldn't even be considered the B team.
And I think that's stupid?
Because all of them are great players.
But we were playing?
Some of our lesser-known players?
Against some of their high-ranked players.
And we still won.
I Gotta Take the Shot Anyway
Which kind of reminds me?
Of that whole idea?
That I don't have to be perfect?
To get things done.
I just have to try?
As hard as I can.
I know my ability.
I gotta take the shot anyway.
So that's my Bite of Pie today.
Welcome to Being Popular
If you recognize?
That you're somebody?
Who everybody wants to talk to?
Welcome to being popular.
If you're somebody?
Who needs somebody to talk to?
Hi.
I'm popular.
I'm always willing to listen.
And if you're just?
Kind of in that in-between?
And you don't know where things are going?
I'm here for that too.
Whatever you need.
Today is another page in the story.
It does not have to be perfect.
It just has to be written.
Before you close your journal tonight, ask yourself:
What was your bite of pie today?
Until tomorrow,
Love you loud.
