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I grew up right in the middle of PA in Centre County. It's an interesting area. One moment you're passing a horse and buggy on the highway and the next you're turning into a ritzy development full of doctors and lawyers. I was always more fond of the horses, to say the least.

My pap grew up as a farmer and met my gram and had my mom. They didn't have much money. I always hear stories about having span for supper and whatever they could scrap out of our garden. Even now we have our "poor man's meals", composed of scrapple and "cracklins" that come from pigs we kill and butcher ourselves.

As time went on my family climbed the social ladder, right up to the middle working class. My parents have the background of growing up with not a whole lot of money, so I learned to work for what I had. My first job was at age 16 at Subway. I've been in and out for 5 years and at age 18 became a manager. I can't remember a time where I wasn't working.

My "Class" has influenced my life by shaping me as a worker. I'ver never gotten anything handed to me. I haven't always had the most recent technology. But it has made me so grateful for what I have and made me work hard for what I want.

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After high school I moved on to college, as some working people do. Graduating wasn't a concern of mine. After all, I grew up working so school work wasn't much different to me. I wanted a degree, so I worked for it.

College really opened my eyes. I've grown up a lot. Professors teaching invaluable lessons about life and careers. I've always been a mature person, so I feel a little older than my age says.

Although I feel older, the outside world doesn't see me that way. To them I'm just an immature millennial. Even my neighbor complains about petty things, just because we're young college students.

My age has shaped me by showing others that no, you can't just stereotype me just because I'm 21. Age discrimination is a thing. I have a lot to learn, but also a lot to teach. I won't let my age define me.

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I saw college as a new beginning, a new life. Freshman year I found the love of my life, who happened to be a girl. My parents have always taught me to love who I wanted, as long as I was happy, they were happy. When I met Jennae I didn't find it odd that I liked her. It was normal for me to like a girl because of how I was raised, so this won't be a sad story about my family disowning me and people making fun of my sexuality. We met, we fell in love, and we continue to grow. Simple as that.

This part of me has had the greatest impact on my life. Jennae helped me find my true "self". I laugh more and I love more. She accepts me for who I am and has revealed parts of me I never knew existed. I'm more confident and more myself around people now that I have her.

The best part of me is her.