The Idea of "Average"

What is "average?" What's it like to be "average?" Am I "average?" Is it bad to be "average?"

The word "average" has many different meanings, some of which are more flattering than others. Dictionary.com's definition is: typical, common, ordinary: His grades were nothing special, only average. The definition from Webster's Intermediate dictionary is: something typical of a group, class, or series. The Synonym Finder offers these synonyms for "average": norm, normal, normal state, mediocrity. So being average is a bad thing. This bothers me a lot. And confuses me. Obviously no one wants to be "average" but many people, I think, feel that a life of "averageness" is inevitable. After all the probability of becoming extraordinary is not very high. In my life I am very afraid of ending up average. "Average" I think takes on many forms. As a teenager "average" is often thought of as a good thing. After all if you are "average" then you aren't failing classes (you aren't acing them either but at least you're surviving right?) If you're "average" then you have reasonably cool friends and probably follow most of the latest trends and fads (after all individuality is really overrated right?). But what if you want to be different???? That's not cool. And even if you break away from the crowd what if you aren't good at being extraordinary? What if you're still just "average" but now you're just an average dork? Are you doomed to a life of mediocrity? I don't think so. I think that these definitions leave something to be desired. The specification. You are only average if you are judging by someone else's standard and only if you think that there are only certain things that you can be extraordinary in.