There is that one famous saying that college is where you find yourself, I never was a firm believer of this. I chose to believe that you were supposed to have it all figured out by age 14.

Growing up, I had earned the nickname of 'flower child' and back then it seemed to be a compliment, because what 6-year-old wouldn't love to be a wild child.

So in seeming fashion, I was bound to find a way to fit into my nickname, whether that was when I would rather play outside in the mud or when I would wear a bright yellow patterned dress with hot pink floral leggings. I sure knew how to make a splash and put a smile on everyone's faces.

I kept this happy-go-lucky mindset with me throughout my days.

There was not much question about who I wanted to be until I reached that age of 14. Things were changing I was about to move on to high school, boys no longer had cooties, and it was no longer acceptable to wear pigtails with that one yellow patterned dress.

The days leading into high school I, of course, had no idea what to expect, I went from a class of 40 kids to a class of 200 kids.

There were a lot people who didn't know me and I didn't know them. The night before school started I painted a mask across my face for the first time and it was not going to be the last time I wore it.

I hid my true personality away from the world, I become someone who I did not recognize, the light behind my smile faded, I no longer knew who I was or who I was meant to be.

Throughout high school I kept that mask on tight, I changed myself to fit in with the 'it' crowd. I chose to dress in a certain way, I chose to use my words in a certain way in order to make friends. It was not until I lost those 'friends' that I realized that maybe if I show people who I really am they might actually like me for me.

So with a little protest and a push, I took the mask off, and it felt as foreign nature to walk around without the mask, it had become a part of me. It was hard not to wear the mask some days. I didn't know how to make friends without the mask on, so of course, I put it back on.

With a little help from those who love me, I was able to take the mask off for what felt like forever, but just as I was getting used to life without the mask it was time to turn the page.

I still didn't know who I really was and I grew scared I never would find out, as college started I found myself putting that mask on once more.

Of course, it did its duty in the fact that I made friends. As the story repeats, these friends did not appreciate my true colors. You would think that this would cause the mask to become a part of who I was and who I was supposed to be, but as a matter of fact, that was the last day I put that mask on.

I freed myself of the burdens of being someone who I am not and all it took was a little faith and a little bit of growing up. Whether that being that I was on my own or that I was working towards my planned future, I knew who I was finally meant to be.