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Leah Green, a.k.a. "Glitter Girl," is a second-year English student.

"Fuck you I won't do what you tell me, Fuck you I won't do what you tell me ..." Slamming into the dude in front of me at the recent Rage Against the Machine concert at San Jose State with my roommate and other UCLA pals, I felt empowered as adrenaline surged through my body.

The only thing I cared about was keeping my shoes on my feet and moving up to the front of the pit. I didn't worry about how I looked or what people would think as I bounced around and enjoyed the experience.

As students we are in the midst of a rapidly changing climate, both within our own hearts and minds, and outside of us on campus and society. This is our time. This is the time to explore and challenge limits and boundaries; those within ourselves and those created by the world around us. Create your own paradigms and be who you are. Experience what life has to offer and seize upon your desires and make them reality, or you can sit back as others create your future. This is the time. Not tomorrow. Now. Today.

Take the time to look in the mirror and scrutinize who you see. If you see someone who has had the same haircut and wardrobe since junior high, maybe it's time for a change. It is normal to be happy with complacency because change is difficult. Entering into the realm of the unknown is often daunting, but full of challenges and rewards. If you've ever wanted to dye your hair green, wear silly clothes, pierce your eyebrow, or get a tattoo, now is the time to do it. When else in your life will it be acceptable to experiment with your exterior image and challenge stereotypes set by your peers and society at large? I am not advocating a UCLA takeover of the Venice tattoo parlor, but I am encouraging y'all to leap out of the norm and find out who you really are. If you look normal and feel normal, something is wrong. Look a little deeper and exploit the fears you have been hiding to your advantage.

We are in a unique position in our role as students. While many must work to cover the expense of being a Bruin, for others their only real responsibility lies in going to class and earning passing grades. Last year as a freshperson I was one of the latter students, which gave me a great deal of time to contemplate who I was, who I wanted to be, and where I was going. I went through fall rush and pledged a sorority, dyed part of my hair purple, partied hard almost every weekend, wanted to pierce my nose, and my sex life consisted of vague drunken memories the morning after. I was searching for my place at UCLA. Everybody must go through their own experiences to find their niche here. It takes time and is not easy, but taking a stand for yourself is always rewarding. It took me two quarters to realize that a sorority was not the right medium for me to explore myself and the world around me, that drinking isn't as cool as I thought it was, and that it is virtually impossible to forge a lasting relationship with someone you get together with at a party. My identity continues to be an ongoing struggle, and always will be as I grow and mature as a human being.

Now let's take a look at the world around us on campus. Many of us at UCLA are here because we were big fish in the little pond called high school, and now we're all normal fishes in a huge ocean. Don't let this discourage you. Have you ever noticed all of those tables on Bruin Walk or fliers on campus for different organizations? The old you would have walked by with the tunnel vision common to UCLA students, in a hurry to get to class or meet your friends. The enlightened student shops around for the groups and organizations that will enhance her/his experience here. The important thing is to do what feels right for you. I urge each and every one of you to explore the plethora of opportunities that are waiting at every turn of the corner on campus. It's cool to hang out with your friends on Bruin Walk, and it's even cooler to volunteer your time with an outreach program, go to a meeting of a group that sounds interesting to you, or go to a student performance on campus. If you find yourself sitting in your dorm room or apartment for long periods of time glued to the television, or reaching for another can of Natural Light, get up and go do something. Walk to Westwood and hang out, get on the bus and go the 3rd St. Promenade in Santa Monica, go clubbing in Hollywood, go to Magic Mountain or Disneyland, go to The Museum of Tolerance, go to the symphony ... we live smack-dab in the middle of one of the most exciting cities in the country, and it is common to hear people say, "There's nothing to do around here." Take the initiative, expand your horizons, and educate yourself about life outside of the UCLA campus.

My father wrote me a poignant letter last year after I left for school. I would like to share an excerpt with you ... "You once said that I never gave you any Words of Wisdom like some fathers in the movies or novels. I didn't, and the reason is that I don't believe you can teach other people about life: the only stuff worth knowing is stuff you've learned yourself. You can teach children how to tie their shoes and drive a car, but not how to live their lives. We hope our children can avoid some of the mistakes we made, and have better lives, but the reality is they won't even consider it a mistake unless they suffer the consequences themselves."

Now is the time to create our lives and our futures. Forget what your family wants you to be and decide what YOU want to be. Look inside and discover the person you are or have always wanted to be. Most of all, have fun, be safe, love yourself and the world around you, and dare to be different!