---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was rejected in school because I didn't…"
description: "\"I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the big-breasted, beautiful girls. I was awkward and sad. My mother always said, \"Be original!\" but..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg"
---

#  I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the…

![“I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the big-breasted, beautiful girls. I was awkward and sad. My mother always said, &quot;Be original!&quot; but I didn't understand until I changed to be like everyone else.” quote by Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg)

> “I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the big-breasted, beautiful girls. I was awkward and sad. My mother always said, "Be original!" but I didn't understand until I changed to be like everyone else.”

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Feeling rejected for not fitting a narrow beauty standard led to low self‑esteem, but the mother’s advice to be original eventually sparked a desire to conform.

**In simple terms:** Rejection over looks caused sadness; advice to be original was misunderstood.

Key Takeaway

Embrace authenticity before seeking acceptance.

Themes

self‑esteem conformity identity advice

Mood

sad reflective

Type

personal advice

When to use this quote

- school bullying
- family guidance
- peer pressure
- self‑image development

Key Concepts

beauty standards social pressure personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- How did trying to fit in affect your sense of self?
- What would happen if you fully embraced your originality?

A Different Perspective

Conforming can suppress true self and cause long‑term dissatisfaction.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/)

## Related quotes

> [I never particularly thought of myself as great with girls. I can be awkward, and I have a strange sense of humor at times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mcgorry/i-never-particularly-thought-of-myself-as-great-with-girls-i-can-be/)

[Matt McGorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mcgorry/)

> [How can a child adhere to school and the notion of secularism when they see their mother rejected from a school outing, stigmatized, left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/najat-vallaud-belkacem/how-can-a-child-adhere-to-school-and-the-notion-of-secularism-when/)

[Najat Vallaud-Belkacem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/najat-vallaud-belkacem/)

> [Something about being rejected at Church Camp felt so much more awful than being rejected at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/something-about-being-rejected-at-church-camp-felt-so-much-more-awful/)

[Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/)

> [I'd applied to graduate school for playwriting, and I got rejected by every school. I felt that theatre was closed but that, when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-d-applied-to-graduate-school-for-playwriting-and-i-got-rejected-by/)

[Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/)

> [But I want you to know that you're a beautiful girl, far more beautiful than I ever was at your age, and that starving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/but-i-want-you-to-know-that-you-re-a-beautiful-girl-far-more/)

[Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/)

> [Really Time is The Greatest Enemy of Beautiful Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/really-time-is-the-greatest-enemy-of-beautiful-girl/)

Mak\_786

> [A beautiful girl is nothin if she has a urgly heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-beautiful-girl-is-nothin-if-she-has-a-urgly-heart/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [People always ask me, 'You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?'. It came from me. One day I decided that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/people-always-ask-me-you-have-so-much-confidence-where-did-that-come/)

[Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/)

> [Because', she said, 'your problems are not real problems. You're dating two beautiful girls at once. Think about it. That's like...having rock-star problems.' 'Having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/because-she-said-your-problems-are-not-real-problems-you-re-dating/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [The most beautiful girl in the room not only gets the guy, she lands the job, gets better service at a restaurant, rises through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-de-cadenet/the-most-beautiful-girl-in-the-room-not-only-gets-the-guy-she-lands/)

[Amanda de Cadenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-de-cadenet/)

> [Because nine years ago, I walked up to the most beautiful girl in the bar, and tonight she's still the only person I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/because-nine-years-ago-i-walked-up-to-the-most-beautiful-girl-in-the/)

[Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/)

> [I always wanted a beautiful girl that played video games. I found her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soulja-boy/i-always-wanted-a-beautiful-girl-that-played-video-games-i-found-her/)

[Soulja Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soulja-boy/)

> [“Beautiful, beautiful girl I can see the sadness you hold in your eyes Beautiful, beautiful girl I see all of the pain you bury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-ward/beautiful-beautiful-girl-i-can-see-the-sadness-you-hold-in-your-eyes/)

[Natalie Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-ward/)

> [~I really honestly feel like noone has ever like looked at me twice or thought wow shes the most beautiful girl i've ever seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/i-really-honestly-feel-like-noone-has-ever-like-looked-at-me-twice-or/)

She's\_gone

> [I dont care what u have to say...i think I'm a very beautiful girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cutelilangel/i-dont-care-what-u-have-to-say-i-think-i-m-a-very-beautiful-girl/)

[CuteLilAngel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cutelilangel/)

## More by Sandra Bullock

> [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [To me, true beauty isn't something that will wash off in the shower at the end of the day. It's something that's still there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/to-me-true-beauty-isn-t-something-that-will-wash-off-in-the-shower-at/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [You hear sounds and orchestration, it's ... the fastest way, I think, to your emotions, even if you don't understand the language of the song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/you-hear-sounds-and-orchestration-it-s-the-fastest-way-i-think-to/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [We are all deserving of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/we-are-all-deserving-of-love/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [The acting thing is so beyond my control. Acting isn't mine. You're like a tiny piece in this big, corporate mechanism that needs chemistry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/the-acting-thing-is-so-beyond-my-control-acting-isn-t-mine-you-re/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [I hope they invent a machine in which you type in the age you want to be, and it lifts and separates everything nonsurgically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-hope-they-invent-a-machine-in-which-you-type-in-the-age-you-want-to/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [I don't know if I always want to be in front of the camera. I love producing, I love the camaraderie. I love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-don-t-know-if-i-always-want-to-be-in-front-of-the-camera-i-love/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [Would I like to go into space? No. Maybe I'd do it when I'm old and have done everything else on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/would-i-like-to-go-into-space-no-maybe-i-d-do-it-when-i-m-old-and/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [I'm like the queen of planning and scheduling and I'm trying very hard to stop it. I just want to finish what I'm doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-m-like-the-queen-of-planning-and-scheduling-and-i-m-trying-very/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [There is something sexy about a computer nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/there-is-something-sexy-about-a-computer-nerd/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [I find that with some girls, the words 'work' and 'education' have gotten a bad rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-find-that-with-some-girls-the-words-work-and-education-have-gotten/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [I don't want to not enjoy where I am at this very moment. So, every time I plan something the exact opposite happens. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-don-t-want-to-not-enjoy-where-i-am-at-this-very-moment-so-every/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [Go find your joy. It's what you're going to remember in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/go-find-your-joy-it-s-what-you-re-going-to-remember-in-the-end/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [I really am thankful that I got to do The Proposal movie the right way with people who taught me how to do comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-really-am-thankful-that-i-got-to-do-the-proposal-movie-the-right/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [Chocolate is the greatest gift to women ever created, next to the likes of Paul Newman and Gene Kelly. It's something that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/chocolate-is-the-greatest-gift-to-women-ever-created-next-to-the/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

[Explore all 314 Sandra Bullock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

## More Awkward quotes

> [“I needed to stop staring at his bicep...and chest...and tattoo. Never thought the sun could be so...sexy. Wow. This was awkward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-needed-to-stop-staring-at-his-bicep-and-chest-and-tattoo-never/)

[Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/)

> [“Osborne and Roger knowing that the wife of the former was a Frenchwoman, and, conscious of each other's knowledge, felt doubly awkward; while Molly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/osborne-and-roger-knowing-that-the-wife-of-the-former-was-a/)

[Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/)

> [“Having to talk to people was the one thing, but soliciting conversation was something else. If I acted squirmy or didn't make eye contact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/having-to-talk-to-people-was-the-one-thing-but-soliciting/)

[Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/)

> [That awkward moment when you stop at a red light and look over to someone staring at you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-you-stop-at-a-red-light-and-look-over-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [That awkward moment when you get your period and others know before you...Embarrassing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smile-so-pretty/that-awkward-moment-when-you-get-your-period-and-others-know-before/)

[Smile So Pretty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smile-so-pretty/)

> [I was beautiful the day we met, But now I'm not so sure. Awkward and alone, you don't make me feel sexy anymore. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-beautiful-the-day-we-met-but-now-i-m-not-so-sure-awkward-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm an American, and always will be. I happen to love that big, awkward, sprawling country very much - and its big, awkward, sprawling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jones/i-m-an-american-and-always-will-be-i-happen-to-love-that-big-awkward/)

[James Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jones/)

> [“That’s some awkward prose right there. Awkward like a Redditor talking to women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-s-some-awkward-prose-right-there-awkward-like-a-redditor-talking/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/)

[Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/)

> [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [It's such a weird thing, because you have a whole crew of people standing over there, on the other side. There's a camera pointing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/it-s-such-a-weird-thing-because-you-have-a-whole-crew-of-people/)

[Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/)

> [A new constitution should be more amendable. A needlessly confusing system of courts should be altered to produce an arrangement that would be simple,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edison/a-new-constitution-should-be-more-amendable-a-needlessly-confusing/)

[Charles Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edison/)

> [I don't really have loads of friends - three or four who are close. The thing that I love the most is playing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-odell/i-don-t-really-have-loads-of-friends-three-or-four-who-are-close-the/)

[Tom Odell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-odell/)

> [That awkward moment when you're creepin on someone through Facebook and accidentally like one of their posts...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mswazi-omarion/that-awkward-moment-when-you-re-creepin-on-someone-through-facebook/)

[Mswazi Omarion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mswazi-omarion/)

Browse all 1,880 Awkward quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the big-breasted, beautiful girls. I was awkward and sad. My mother always said, \"Be original!\" but I didn't understand until I changed to be like everyone else.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sandra Bullock"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn-t-look-like-the-big-breasted/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Awkward"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn-t-look-like-the-big-breasted/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/900/sandra-bullock-985_awkward_i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn_341373.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was rejected in school because I didn't look like the big-breasted, beautiful girls. I was awkward and…” — Sandra Bullock",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sandra Bullock",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was rejected in school because...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn-t-look-like-the-big-breasted/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-was-rejected-in-school-because-i-didn-t-look-like-the-big-breasted/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
