“Peanut Butter or Jelly?” by Courtney Kolberg is a relatable reminisce of what it's like to fall victim to fitting in at all costs. Though it is something as small as a lunch choice, Kolberg explains how she would dread having to face a meal to join conformity. She was absolutely disgusted with peanut butter, but ate it day after day with a banana to be “cool.” She described how she tried to convince herself to like the substance, which unfortunately is familiar to readers. However, as she looks back now, Kolberg realizes she should have suffered every lunch period. She shares, “Looking back on my early teen years, I am ashamed of the choices I made. I changed my values, likes, and appearance to such an extent that I had a hard time determining what was me and what was a product of peer influences.” Kolberg has learned from her mistakes and chooses to live her life her way, which includes jelly and not peanut butter.

Kolberg’s memoir was a piece I could deeply connect to. I’ve never had to painfully stomach a vile lunch everyday, but I have faltered in staying true to myself. As much as I try to always stick to my preferences, beliefs, and opinions, there are times where I’m not comfortable with doing “me” and join majority. In some incidents, it’s much easier to join the crowd. However, Kolberg reminds me, “It took time for me to realize how illogical my conformity was: Why should I have cared about the opinion of a group of whiny girls?” For me, it doesn’t just apply to “whiny girls” but all people who aren’t important to me. Just like Kolberg, I am in the middle of finding myself and won’t let conformity get in my way.