Don't Judge (people) by their Covers

While frequently throughout life, you hear about rich people being snotty about poor people, educated people being snarky about uneducated people, etc. etc., it's rare to hear about it being the other way around. Yet this type of judgment is what I face frequently.

Yes. I am a college graduate. I am a professional and make a salary, not an hourly rate. I can pay my taxes and my bills without assistance. I've owned a couple cars (one at a time). I've traveled to a few countries and currently reside overseas.

That, however, doesn't make me a snob.

My family has come from modest means. My Aunt was the first in our family to graduate from college (my dad's youngest sister). Since then, 2 of my cousins and 1 brother has followed in the same hallowed footsteps. One of my cousins had the audacity to get her MA and is not getting her PhD.

Ok... enough about education,...

I spend most of my summer in gym shorts and tank tops, no makeup, running through woods, fishing, etc. I used to own and manage worm farms and terrariums. I'd rather be hiking than shopping...

I'm not high maintenance... yet more than once, I've had supposedly "low class" people judge me, not get to know me, and make me feel like I'm judging them because I don't dress or talk like them.

I'm the one who seems to think that I'm not better than anyone just because I went to college or don't use slang all the time.

"You're always just so put together..." my sister-in-law told me. She gets me... she knows I'm not judging anyone. She knows I give everyone a chance... she knows I'll speak my mind. But I do have different relationships with everyone and not everyone sees every side of me.

That doesn't mean I'm hiding my true self. It just means I don't show everything to everyone.

Apparently my persona drips togetherness and efficiency... and apparently this puts people off... sigh.