Back in middle school Rose White used to walk around wearing clown-like makeup and although maybe some people would see it as weird or different she didn’t care because she loved it and she was expressing herself.

Self expression is what we use to share our ideas, beliefs, or desires. It comes in many different forms and can be different for everybody, so what are some forms of self expression and why can it be important for people?

One way someone can express themselves is through art forms. For example, drawing and crochet are some of Caitlin Wilkinson’s forms of self expression. She decides to crochet random ideas she has and draw out how she is feeling. For her, self expression is an important part in releasing her energy and feelings.

“If I don’t focus my energy on drawing how I feel I will just blurt it out more,” Cailtin Wilkinson said. Self expression is important to some people like Caitlin in order to help them through their feelings instead of holding it in.

Another form of self expression could be dance and on a more broad spectrum exercise in general. Trist Green uses both of these to express himself.

“It helps me express my feelings so I’m not lashing it out on others,” Tristan Green said. This is similar to Caitlin Willkinson. He dances to vent out his feelings, but he also exercises for the desire to prove himself as someone who is strong. For some people their form of self expression helps them share or show who they are.

People can also have multiple forms of self expression, but all tying into a similar idea you want to share. Rose White’s forms of self expression are clothing, hair, and the use of specific colors. She uses the combination of her hair, clothes, and the color black to express her feelings of wanting to rebel and being unique.

“Knowing what’s actually going on in the world makes me want to rebel [and] wear stuff that says I’m not like everyone else,” Rose White said. For her it’s important to stand out and be your own person and self expression helps her achieve that as well.

“[Self] expression kinda makes me feel like I stand out…I’m my own person,” Rose White said. Being unique and different can be really important to some people and self expression can help with that.

There’s still so many other forms of self expression out there then just the few mentioned. People can find their self expression in small things like buttons or stickers. Maybe it’s the music you listen to or the writing you do. It can be important because it’s a healthy way to release pent up emotions or it’s an opportunity to set yourself apart. Self expression can also be important in sharing who you are in the most comfortable way. What matters is that self expression is what you make it out to be.