Three summers ago I was blessed with the opportunity to attend Empire Girls State, an all-girl weeklong political summer camp. “Political summer camp?” you may be thinking, “How big of a nerd are you?”

I know, I know. To be fair though, I expected it to be boring. I suppose I accepted the nomination partially because it looked good on a resume, but mainly because I am an egotistical narcissist who loves nothing more than getting chosen for something (even if it’s something as boring as a political summer camp). Basically, I expected to feel like this all week:

Luckily, the picture above was far from the truth. It was more accurately like this:

Little did I know that attending Girls State would not only be one of the most fun experiences of my life, but also one of the most life changing regarding my perception of the United States of America. For all the former alumni of Girls State, hopefully this is a trip down memory lane of all the things Girls State taught you.

1. You cannot always be the cream of the crop.

RIP my ego...

Coming to Girls State, I was honored to meet the best and brightest from each school. I met all-star athletes, Valedictorians, incredible public speakers and future leaders of America. I’m not going to lie; I was majorly humbled at Girls State. I was blown away by the charisma some of these girls had and learned it was okay to lose now and again. After all, winning isn't everything.

2. If you want to grow you need to do the uncomfortable.

I think the greatest thing about Girls State was watching people transform right in front of my eyes. The shy awkward teenage girls I met at the beginning of the week suddenly metamorphosed into strong confident women by the very end. When I first arrived, I was scared I wouldn’t make friends or find people to talk to. However, Girls State taught me to step out of my nervous bubble and find a lovely community of incredible women (GO TUB SQUAD!) who constantly amaze me with their hilarity and accomplishments.

3. Being in politics is not the glamorous job the media portrays it to be.

More often than not, it feels more like this...

It’s basically common knowledge that the majority of society thinks a politician’s main job is to kiss up to the public and promise things that will never actually happen. If nothing else, Girls State showed me just how many obstacles there are to passing bills and creating change. Just one particular word or phrase could determine if something passed or failed. And the politics! Side deals were made: “If I pass your bill will you pass mine?” “Can I count on you for a vote if I make sure to speak in favor of the board you are on?”

4. “Females are strong as hell.”

You *wish* you were this fierce.

Women have years of oppression to combat, but they seem to be making up for lost time at a rapid pace. Girls State brings female speakers who exemplify all that women can accomplish. From military officers to government officials, these women are brave, passionate and everything I hope to one day become.

5. It is completely possible, though not recommended, to live off of four hours of sleep a night. (Preparation for college, am I right?)

You know you’re at Girls State when you’re trying not to fall asleep each day in session because you stayed up until 2 a.m. partying and talking. Is this the real reason nothing passes in Congress ever? The world may never know.

6. We may all be different, but when we unite together, anything is possible.

Girls State is a beautiful mosaic of girls with all different backgrounds and passions coming together to change the world. While we may love, believe, and do different things, when we convene millions of possibilities open up.

7. We truly do live in the greatest nation.

Because what other country has so much flag-themed memorabilia?

Before Girls State, I was practically anti-patriotic. I felt as though the United States was one big joke of Big Macs and reality TV. Why would I be proud to be an American, when we're the laughingstock of the world? Girls State taught me the truth. I know now that we actually belong to a great, if not the greatest, nation. We are allowed to speak our minds, elect our government officials and live in relative security. After all, great countries are fought for, not made. Though we are relatively new (for a nation), we have already come so far. I’m proud of where we are and where can go. Most importantly though, I'm proud to be an American.

Thank you, Girls State, for creating a network of talented females that I can rely on for the rest of my life. Thank you for teaching me what it means to be an American, and what it means to love my nation. I will never forget you, and I hope none of the other alumni will either.