“It’s my senior year and I’m going to be me,” senior Eliza Weston confidently said while talking about her new project. Weston decided to take the school year to challenge herself. She wears new and exciting outfits everyday, all while documenting it in a photo essay for others to look at and be inspired by. As well as for herself, to look back on the fun she had in senior year.

“I started this project to take my passion to another level,” Weston explained the motive behind her project.

Quarantine changed many students, but the way it affected Weston encouraged her to push herself.

“I really, like, grew up during COVID, and really learned who I was,” Weston said while speaking on the initiative behind her photo essay. It is apparent that COVID changed her, and encouraged her to be 100% herself.

Weston really believes there is no better time to express who she is. Along with the photo essay that Weston has started to keep for others and herself, she also has started an Instagram account for other students. She started the account to show off students outfits, and to document them representing themselves.

“It’s called ‘stilly.drip.or.drown.‘ A junior and I are doing it together, we just go around and take pictures of other outfits that are really cool to us,” Weston explained.

It’s extremely inspiring to see students expressing themselves and being themselves without worrying about what anyone thinks.

Even though Weston only had one closet, all of her outfits were still diverse and different. She never tries to be boring, and always put effort into her outfits, instead of just throwing something on.

“Sometimes she will dress very formal, in vibrant dresses, and other times, she dresses more casual and funky, but she never wears anything boring,” junior Kat Elstad, Westons friend, explained.

Although it may seem like Weston spent a lot of money on clothes at fancy and trendy shops, she only bought secondhand clothes, and mostly shopped at Goodwill and other types of thrift stores.

“I only shop at Goodwill, Goodwill bins, any thrift store,” Weston passionately explained where all her clothes came from.

It is important that this is where the majority of Weston’s clothes came from, as it does so much good for the environment. This is one of the reasons why Weston shops at Goodwill.

“Liza is a very outgoing and outspoken person, which is very inspiring because she always says what she’s thinking,” junior Ayva Newkirk, another friend of Weston’s,  said. Weston inspires Newkirk and everyone around her with her words and actions. The way that she’s authentically herself helps other people to do the same.

Weston leaves a huge impact on everyone around her. With the Instagram account that she started, her photo essay, authentic outfits, and her words, Weston is unapologetically herself, and encourages everyone else to do the same. She goes to school each day, looking her best, and with much thought in her appearances, she also compliments other people around the building, inspiring them and making an impact.

“A lot of the times before in my high school career, I was really, like, kind of scared to like express myself and be who I was. So I just kind of realized for my senior year, I can just be me and keep on doing it,” Weston concluded.