As a woman, I always have a target on my back. Whether I'm walking down the street at night, on campus, out with my girls or traveling alone. It comes to no surprise that men see women as an easy target and is something that society has dealt with for a while now. On top of that, we now have to deal with shootings happening all over our nation. You have to watch your back any place in public these days. Our world has become very unsafe which makes it hard to trust people, especially strangers.

I started going hunting with my dad when I was in the 5th grade. I then received my first gun from him as my 12th birthday present. I've been target shooting and hunting ever since. Thanks to my father and the help of his friend, Steve, I was taught how to properly handle a firearm at a very young age. Some might be surprised that at the age of 11 or 12, I knew what I was doing and no accidents happened because I was taught how to properly treat and use the weapons around me.

Not only did target shooting and hunting become a hobby and a way to bond with my dad, but it allowed me to trust myself in a way I never had before. Due to the trust, my dad and his friend bestowed in me when it came to the firearms, further empowered the trust I had in myself. I knew that a gun wasn't going to go off unless I made it. They didn't scare me because I knew I was in control of them.

I was never scared when I was home alone because I knew how to protect myself if anyone tried to bother me. That's exactly why I will get my concealed carry when I turn 21, to protect myself and the people around me. All it takes is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We watch horrible things happen on the news every day and say that'll never be me until one day it is. I hate walking anywhere by myself, nighttime or not because I know that something can happen in a matter of seconds and I'm not so sure how much I rely on my tiny can of pepper spray.

Where our world is headed, I think everyone should consider getting their concealed carry license. You'd rather be safe than sorry. The way I look at it is, would you rather be able to protect yourself at any given moment or rely on a complete stranger in a life or death situation? For me, the answer is simple.