This weekend, hundreds of students, alumni and family members piled into Huskie Stadium to witness the Huskies attack in their first home football game.

It was a sight. One couldn’t look in any direction without seeing another fan decked out in red and black. It can’t be denied: NIU students enjoy expressing school spirit when they go out to support our football players.

People young and old alike, were decked out in everything from NIU shirts, hair ribbons, huskie paw tattoos, striped knee socks, shag wigs, Mardi Gras beads, helmets and face paint. Quite a few people looked downright ridiculous. But it was OK to look ridiculous. Why? Because everyone else was doing it.

In fact, if any one of those people sported their spirited football game attire while, say, walking to class because they felt particularly festive that day, there’s no doubt they would be the subject of intense public mockery.

Why, when people decide to be individualistic and do something no one else is doing, are they automatically cut down by their peers and quickly given the label of weird, different or pathetic?

Think back to high school. There’s no doubt you can think of at least one person who wasn’t like everyone else, whether they dressed differently, wore their hair in a crazy style or made off-the-wall comments.

Now think of how you and your fellow students treated that individual.

Unless they were close friends, most people probably treated that person awfully, right? Insults, accusations and assumptions were most likely thrown back and forth behind that person’s back –     if not right in their face.

Why is our society so opposed to individuality?

Now, I admit having been one of those horrible people who treated those people unjustly. I’ve tossed insults around with my friends, and I’m sorry for it.

My question is why did I do it?

The majority of our society have been raised to think, often not intentionally, that expressing oneself unconventionally is worthy of degradation. They believe being different and not blending in with the crowd is not normal.

What is so wrong with being distinctive and choosing to express oneself in a unique manner? Shouldn’t the person who is brave enough to step out of society’s rigid box of normality be applauded?

Most of us have seen the particular image, if not something similar: a group of little white and black spotted Dalmatians is standing in a row, one of them is a different color – neon blue maybe – and wearing sunglasses. Underneath is the caption, ‘Dare to be different.’

One would think since it is circulated widely enough throughout the country, it would be more than a cute picture to hang on the wall, but a message to people saying it is indeed OK.

It is my hope someday, if someone wants to do something unlike everyone around him or her, it won’t be considered unconventional.

I would like to see our society accept and praise unique individuals who are proud enough to express themselves for who they really are, instead of simply following the strict rules our society unknowingly lays out.

I encourage every one of you to do something different and break social norms.

Try to be who you really are instead of a reflection of society.

Be a neon blue Dalmatian and wear those sunglasses proudly!

Columns reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily that of the Northern Star staff.