Nonchalant is hot; but is it? A nonchalant person is someone who “behaves in a calm manner, often in a way that suggests [they] are not interested or do not care” (Cambridge Dictionary). We grew up in an age when the coolest celebrities and the most popular kids were always the nonchalant ones. They didn’t care about how they were treated, they didn’t care about fame, or praise, or grades—or did they? These people were cool in high school, but looking back, were they actually okay? Most of the time, they were deeply lonely because what we considered to be cool was basically just to push people away. Even more so now. The less people care, the more we care about them.
Think about it. Are your favorite friends the ones you would refer to as “nonchalant”? Probably not. You want to surround yourself with people who will hype you up for being yourself: the ones who make you laugh or hold you when you cry. Thankfully, trends are starting to let go of this idea. Most people don’t want a modern house with fully white walls and metal fixtures. The cool thing to have is color and personality. Homebuyers are starting to lean into houses with “personalities” or “visible history,” not flat walls and fluorescents.
Be unashamedly yourself. Show your personality in your attitude, in your conversations, in your classes. What’s the use in being nonchalant and impressing a bunch of people who don’t really know you? We’re called to be in community with each other, not to hold ourselves at a distance. Who cares if your laugh sounds like a hyena, or your smile’s a little crooked? It makes you special. Caring is sharing, so stop being so nonchalant and share yourself with others.