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Christian Clemente

Professor Beadle

English 115

26 September, 2017

Isolation

The current earth population is approximately 7 billion and continuously growing, and

because of this people are constantly together and are rarely isolated. People are never alone

because of the amount of people on this earth, because of this humans dislike being left out or

not belonging within the group or community. Although, there are many people in the world,

there are countless people who feel alone and left out in their daily lives. A perfect example of

this is the new kid. The new kid, a term that is not commonly used anymore, was used to

describe the new student coming into a school. Although this term is not commonly used

anymore, many people still feel this sense of being isolated within a space which may cause

them feel like the new kid. This feeling of not having friends and not fitting not only in

schools but in a community, is something that almost everyone dreads whenever they enter into a

new space. This fear may sometimes escalate and become so out of hand that kids may even fear

their first day at school or to even continue their education at their new school. Being alone in a

space such as schools where cliques and communities are practically a necessity is a fear that

some can not handle and is indeed monstrous.

Joining a new school can be an awful experience for both children and adults. The

struggle of being isolated is an experience that no one enjoys. Feeling unwelcome or not

belonging to part of a group is terrible. Not belonging not only isolates the person, but also stops

them from finding new peers to counteract this problem. The feeling of isolation can affect a
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person not only mentally but physically as well. Isolation in schools can be quite a frightful

experience for children. This is because children and teenagers are more reliant on their peers

and companions than adults are. Social interactions often shape a child. Having friends can

affect a person's social standing in a school especially children and teenagers from elementary to

high school. Image and reputation play a very key role in children and teenagers life. Becoming

the outcast of the group or not fitting in, can cause serious mental strain on a child, because they

feel unwanted and unappreciated. Becoming isolated and shunned can cause a person to have

mental problems such as depression and even thoughts of suicide. This mental strain can become

so bad that it may even become a physical problem. Bullying is a byproduct of those who are

isolated and shunned because of it. Bullying is an ongoing problem that occurs for many

reasons. A prime target for those who get bullied are the people who do not fit in the rest.

Although not all bullying is physical, it may sometimes be verbal. This type of bullying can be

just as bad. Being bullied will cause these kids or teenagers to feel even more like an outcast and

not included. Thus causing further isolation and increasing the problem. Causing them to be

even more afraid of school and causing them to isolate themselves even further. Being left out

can cause a lot of problems for a person, making school seem like facing a monster.

Feeling like you do not belong at a new school is something that is felt by some but not

by all. Some people may think that going to a new school is not even a bad experience. Often

people think that going to a school not knowing anyone or anything about the area will be a great

experience and a fresh start. Although this may be true for some, not all people can view going a

new school this way. I know this from personal experience. When I started high school, I went

to a school in a completely different area than the one that I grew up in. This meant that I had to

start school without knowing a single person. I remember spending the first two months walking
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around lunch eating by myself and not talking to a single person until halfway into my high

school career. My first day of school high school, I was so scared of not making any new friends

and spending all my time alone I almost wanted to stop going to school entirely. The following

days and months didn't get any better, in fact as time went by I started to hate going to school.

The fear of not knowing when I would make my first friend was always on my mind. This fear of

the unknown can cause a lot of problems for people and has throughout time. As Ted Genoways

stated in his article Here be Monsters this fear of the unknown, of that future that lies past the

horizon, has been with us always. Genoways states this because, although there are fears, it is

the unknown possibilities that really are the root of fear . This fear is a monster that people have

to deal with constantly in all aspects of life.

Although many schools try to come across as being a very inclusive place where

everyone can be a part of the community, this in reality is something that is very hard to do. The

space of school has values and beliefs that are placed upon its students. These values and beliefs

are things like unity, companionship, compassion, and a sense of being a family. An example of

this is my new school which I am currently attending, California State University Northridge.

Upon entering this school I was constantly reminded by signs, professors, and upperclassmen

that this campus is very set on trying to make every student feel welcomed, included, and has a

sense of belonging to the school. This is because they understand that the feeling of isolation felt

by students entering a new school, is indeed a problem that should be avoided at all costs.

Because the feelings of isolation and not belonging weighs down on a person. Schools want their

students to feel welcomed and included into the family that they are trying to create within their

community. Schools acknowledge the monster of isolation that can be felt by incoming students

of their campus. By acknowledging this problem they are actively helping to prevent the
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problem. CSUN realizes if they allow this type of fear into their school they will only breed

more of this fear. Just like in the wake of a tragic school massacre in Beslan[in 2004], Russian

President Vladimir Putin increased security Succumbing to their fear, most Russian have

chosen to allow Putin whatever control he desires. (Genoways). The people of Russia allowed

the fear of not feeling safe to control them. Therefore allowing Vladimir Putin to rise into

power. In other words the Russian population gave into their fears, and had resulted in their loss

of liberty. CSUN on the other hand is counteracting the fear of isolation by giving it less power.

Helping the situation by trying to create connections and situations where isolation is not a

possibility. Although the school may be trying its best to counteract the problem, it is still up to

the individuals at school to stop isolating themselves. This problem of being left out can only be

solved if both parties, the community and the individuals, try to help stop and prevent the

situation from even occurring.

In conclusion, humans are the type of species that strives to be surrounded by its own

kind. Being isolated is a basic fear that almost everyone can understand. Although not all

people may be afraid of starting fresh in a new school, a majority of people do. Dealing with the

monster of not fitting in, at a new space is something that people will have to eventually get over

with time. With the realization of the problem, both the space and the individuals within the

environment can begin to help defuse the problem. Although this idea of being alone may be

monstrous, every monster can be defeated.

Works Cited
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Genoways, Ted. Here be Monsters Monsters : A Bedford Spotlight reader, Andrew J. Hoffman,

Macmillan Education, 2016, pp. 130-133