Coming into BBYO as an 8th grader, I genuinely had no idea what to expect. Some random girls had texted me countless times begging me to come to events and I finally gave in and went to a sleepover. I walked into some stranger's house and was immediately overwhelmed. All these pretty, older girls who seemed so close to one another stood in groups talking and I felt like the odd man out.
Now I look back at that night and laugh. Although I had a right to be intimidated, scared even, I met a close-knit group of girls who shaped me into becoming the person I am today. BBYO welcomed me into it's loving community with open arms and incessant text messages.
To all my friends who think BBYO is just an excuse to party and get drunk; BBYO is a drug and alcohol free organization and any teen under the influence at any event faces mandatory suspension from all BBYO activities. BBYO has a zero tolerance policy for any substance use and is a safe space for many teens who want and need to get away from the peer pressures they face at school.
To my friends who think BBYO is too religious; you're wrong. BBYO is a pluralistic youth group, where teens are given the opportunity to meet people from around the world, engage in social actions, and create their own Jewish Identity. While we do pride ourselves on being religious Jewish youth group, not all our events are "Global Shabbat" or "Interfaith Seder." We have plenty of fun events like our Beau/Sweetie Dance or our Zilker kickoff.
For my friends who constantly ridicule me for "only talking about BBYO"; in my sophomore year of high school, I had, what I thought, was a close-knit group of friends who eventually ended up dropping me. I had no one to sit with at lunch, no one to hang out with on the weekends, and I became depressed. I went from constantly having friends over on the weekend to hanging out with no one for weeks on end. I floundered around in school, looking for different groups to hang out with but I couldn't seem to fit in with any of them. It became bad enough to where my parents noticed, and we even began looking at schools for me to switch into because the social situation was so bad. Around this time, I began to attend BBYO events more & more regularly, pouring myself into the organization, and I spent more time with the girls in BBYO, outside of BBYO. Slowly but surely I began to feel happy again. BBYO gave me everything. It didn't matter if it was a carefully planned program, region-wide convention, or a entertaining night making horrible hamantaschen in the temple's kitchen. BBYO gave me something to be passionate about, chances to grow as a person and as a leader, set new goals, meet new people, form bonds and connections outside of my day-to-day life, and be happy again.
Lastly, I would like to say thank you to the venomous group of girls whom I once called my best friends. If you had not "dropped me" I would never had formed these bonds, had these experiences, and grown to be the person I am today. You, just like all of my friends in BBYO, have shaped me for the better.
Respectively Submitted with Undying Love For,
Litzor BBG #433, Ra'naan BBG #2534, Capital AZA #2548, Lonestar Region #73, CLTC 4 2016, horrible hamantaschen, and BBYO.
I Forever Remain,
A Damn Proud BBG
