I remember that time so vividly. I think about it every once and awhile, and sometimes it would seem that I'm right back in that place—back to a time that feels like a million years behind me. The reason I am so transfixed on this specific period of my life is because, unbeknownst to me at the time, the events that were about to unfold would lead me down a path that I could have never possibly imagined was meant for me. It was 2014, and it all started with a download. It is important to understand who I was and what my life was like at the time. I had recently quit my job at a local grocery story—the six months spent there still being the worst professional experience I've yet to endure—to pursue a career in modeling. It didn't quite start out as a career path, more like an anxiety ridden adventure into the unknown world of beautiful people. On a whim, I had submitted a description of my physical characteristics to a modeling company not too far away from my isolated hometown in Central Pennsylvania. I didn't consider what might come out of it, but, astonishingly enough, I quickly heard back from the agency. Their excitement to meet and possibly represent me was just one of the several incredible happenings occurring in my world at that time. I was living out a long-held dream of doing stand-up comedy, I was invited to speak on a podcast because of my comedy, I had recently dropped to a weight of one-hundred and fifty pounds, and now I was being looked at as a potential model. This was all happening to a nineteen-year-old kid, who was a two-hundred and fifty-pound introvert just twelve months earlier when he graduated high school. It was unfathomable to me that this was my life. Though, what I didn't know, was that it was about to get even more unbelievable and even more complicated.

I scheduled a meeting with the modeling agency, and nervously attended the arrangement with my father in tow. I talked with the woman in charge, and went over various details that were important to the world of male modeling—a world that I had no earthly idea about. After our discussion, she looked me up and down one more time and offered to represent me right there on the spot. Of course, I accepted. Remember what I said about being a shy fat kid in high school? Well, now I was a model. Imagine my old classmates' disbelief when they get a load of this, I thought to myself. I felt on top of the world, like everything I ever wanted was finally coming to fruition. However, there was a specific desire of mine that was still noticeably absent from my life, a girlfriend. I had never once had a girlfriend through my whole twelve years of schooling. I dabbled a bit here and there—had my first kiss, went on my first date, danced my first dance. No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried—and believe me, I tried very hard—I could not for the life of me find a girl—a girl that I found desirable, anyway—to look at me romantically. Of course, at the time, I couldn't discern why I was so unwanted, why I couldn't get a girlfriend. Now that I look back on it, however, there was more than a few noticeable reasons why I was passed up, but that's an article for another time. Anyway, I was feeling the tiniest bit of confidence in myself for the first time ever. However, I still held within me two very debilitating qualities—shyness and fear. I was still incapable of approaching a female in person and casually chatting her up, all the while gaining her affection with wit and charm. That was just not in the cards for me. So, I turned to the one place that the modern age allowed for someone like me to find a match—Tinder. Yes, yes, I can hear the snickering and the judgement already, but those things are probably coming from people who are, for one reason or another, too ashamed to admit that they have also tried it at one point. We all have forayed into the world of online dating, at least all millennials, but I think it's fair to say that most dips of the toe into this technological cesspool don't turn out like mine did.

I had attempted to use Tinder before. I spent a couple of months swiping right and getting my hopes up, then quickly realizing that that beautiful blonde probably wasn't going to get back to me. Then the few times that I did get a match, there was a good chance that the person I was talking to was fake. So, after so much failure, I deleted the app and swore off online dating for good. Though, I soon found that I didn't have anywhere else to turn. I was shy, isolated, and unaware of how or where to meet a nice girl. These conditions lead me to recreating my account, and haphazardly attempting to find someone preferable. After a while, I took to the trite and true strategy of blindly swiping right on every photo that popped up, preferring to sort them out later. When I look at it now, I realize that this was a plan of action built upon the dashed hopes of those that found me attractive. I feel quite bad now, but my younger self hadn't quite thought his actions through all the way—a self-applied curse of the youthful. It was nearing the New Year, and my latest exploration of Tinder profiles had been going on for about two weeks. I was fairing quite well if I'm being honest. Several enjoyable connections were made, and many enjoyable conversations were had. Then, one day, I was sitting alone in my room when I felt an urgent buzz cry out from my right pants' pocket. I quickly whipped out my device—hoping for a message from a previous match—when I saw that I instead had a new match. Upon further examination, I was met with the image of a girl who was unrivaled in beauty. I didn't recognize her. Surely, I would have if I purposefully swiped right. She was just too gorgeous to not remember. I was awestruck at first sight of her, and in disbelief that she could have possibly matched with me. It must be a mistake, I told myself, or a joke or fake or something. I didn't think anything would come of this. Why would I? On the other hand, I was too intrigued to not pursue the impossible opportunity. I sent a simple: "Heyy", and, to my surprise, was almost immediately answered.

I'll spare the deeply personal details, but nevertheless that girl and I fell in love—the first and only love I've ever had. After a short period of getting to know each other, we decided to meet face to face. The feelings that were being felt were just too strong to ignore or pass by. She informed me that she was a student at a college just forty-five minutes from where I lived. It was a college I had never even heard of before. It was called Lycoming College, a small private institution tucked inside the city center of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Nearly every weekend, I would make the trek to the small college in order to spend all my time with this amazing girl. These visits would often last a week at a time, much to the chagrin of her three roommates. After several months of growing closer to each other, the idea of me attending the college was floated around. I had never considered going to college. I just didn't think it was in the cards for me. After all, I had never even taken the SAT examine. I considered it impossible until I discovered that Lycoming College is one of the few colleges that doesn't require SAT scores. You're probably thinking what I thought: What are the chances of that!? I would come to find that they offered another option for admission. As long as you placed high enough in your graduating class, you can write two essays on any academic subject you want and turn them in for consideration. So, that is what I did. Meanwhile, I was still fully submerged in my world of modeling. I knew I didn't have the capacity to do both. I didn't have a car to drive back and forth between school and modeling auditions. Some people might consider this quite the pickle, but for me the choice was clear from the start. Love won the war, and I pulled out of my contract in the hopes of being closer to the girl I love. A month or so after many meetings with admissions, financial discussions with the parents, and turning in my essays, I received a thick envelope from Lycoming College. I was accepted and offered sixteen-thousand dollars in scholarship money. I was going to be a college student.

The events that would transpire after this moment of academic acceptance are too personal and complex to spell out in this article, but there are some things I can tell you. Since enrolling in Lycoming College, I have: become a dean's list student, joined a fraternity, met lifelong friends, discovered who I really am, beaten my fear of transitioning into adulthood, created memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and the list goes on and on. All of this, as I stated at the beginning, started with a download. One little app and one chance connection caused my life to change for what is undoubtedly the better. Without the far-reaching capabilities of online communication, I can't even fathom what my life might be like at this moment. When thinking about the possibility of none of this coming to fruition, even when considering the hard days and painful nights, I can feel my heart sink a little bit in my chest. Only in retrospect can I see that I've lived quite an odd and exciting life. Not to mention, all those oddities and all that excitement is entirely built on chance. If I didn't download that app at that exact moment, if I didn't send that message, if I didn't meet that girl, and if I didn't choose education over glamour, almost nothing about my life would be the same. Although, while it worked out for me, there is a chance that things could have ended differently. If you find the retelling of my life's past two years crazy or astonishing, it's important to remember that the wonders of modern technology is often a double-edged sword—specifically the social side of it all. I was fortune enough to meet a well-intentioned girl, attend the perfect college for me, and discover my true path in life, but all that good could easily be tweaked to become bad. I find the experiences that I've just laid out to be bewildering, which is why I wanted to share them, but I also believe that my story conveys the often-disregarded reality that what we do online can have far-reaching consequences. So, while I say dare to use every facet of our modern world to change and improve your life, exercise caution when utilizing the complex technologies we possess—especially if you often burden yourself with the adolescent curse of not thinking your actions through before you execute them.