Throughout my years, I have been taught by society and those around me that the ultimate goal is to end up in a perfect relationship with someone who will eventually become your spouse. Everything is based around this thing called "love." We begin having crushes on each other practically from infancy, and start dating as young as elementary school. Even my first kiss was in kindergarten.

We are taught in school about these fairytale romances, where the prince sweeps up the damsel in distress into his arms and saves the day, capturing her heart in the process. While everyone claims these are just stories, we are brainwashed into believing that one day our fairytale will come true. Maybe it will, I do believe everyone is destined to be with someone out there. But I'm done looking for this so-called Prince Charming.

I was never taught how to properly love and respect myself. How to know what I deserve. How to tell how I should be treated. But at this point in my life, I'm done with the horrible treatment. I'm done putting more effort into relationships than the other. I'm done with giving all I have to give and only receiving a little in return.

It's time to start recognizing the amazing young woman I have become. It's time to have high expectations and goals that I know I can conquer. This is my life, this is my time to do what I want, to earn a degree of my choosing, and have the freedom I was born to have.

The self-image problems in society are shocking, but it's because we have emphasized this idea of needing somebody to love us. Why are we taught as kids that we must have a man or woman giving us attention to prove our worth? And if things don't work out with this person, it means we are worthless?

I'm done allowing society to brainwash me into hating myself, into me wanting to change everything about myself, inside and out. I'm tired of feeling insecure about these pointless flaws that I focus on. I'm finally going to give myself the love and attention that I know I deserve.