I think everyone has that one story or character that changes their life. Mine was Katniss Everdeen.

When I was a senior in high school I wasn’t very popular, but I thought I was on top of the world. I had a solid group of friends that were a big support. I was taking easy classes because I got the cores out of the way, so I was in two English classes and three choir classes. I was an officer in Drama Club and we were pretty successful at that. Overall, I was a typical teenager who thought she was indestructible and was ready to take on the world.

Until one day in my Modern Lit class my friend waved this black book in front of my face and said “You need to read this. Now.” It was "The Hunger Games." I asked her what it was about and she explained to me that they are in a futuristic world and kids were sent into an arena and had to kill each other until there was only one standing, but that there was more to it and that I have to read it. So I did.

Right away you get to know who Katniss is at her very core: A big sister. That hit close to home right away because I have a little brother that I would do anything for, including volunteer to be put in a fight to the death situation in his place. Throughout the entire series you see this trait being reflected in everything she does. She does all she can do to protect not only Prim but her friends as well. She has this level of selflessness that can rarely be seen in any person or character I’ve encountered.

Katniss is one of the strongest characters I’ve known as well, and that’s out of men and women. Not only physically is she lethal with a bow and arrow, and knows how to survive in dire situations, she is mentally strong as well. She knows how to stay focused through all of the terrible things that happen to her and her allies and even though she’s hurting, she is able to accomplish what needs to be done for her survival.

Katniss gave me a huge reality check.

It wasn’t until I was reading "Catching Fire" in New York City for me to realize the gravity of what these books were telling me. I was with my cousin looking for a prom dress. I was already feeling guilty and like I was going way overboard on planning for this stupid dance. When I got to the part of the book where they are at the party at Snow’s mansion my world was a little bit rocked. They were in these elaborate outfits and eating this amazing food when they point out that there are people starving in District 12 and these people make themselves vomit so they can eat and party more.

So there I was in this sparkly, fluffy, banana yellow dress, on a platform, with my cousin in the background telling me ways I could do my hair with it and how it’s perfect for my skin tone and I snapped. I tore right out of that dress and out of the store. I told her I wasn’t going to prom because it was a waste of my time and money and there were more important things I could be doing with my life but instead I’m thinking about such a cliché tradition and I felt so stupid. The problem was I didn’t know how to fix it.

Kantiss keeps me motivated.

So I went to prom after all, because my cousin volunteered to make my dress for me so I didn’t feel so much like I was wasting my money. At the end of the spring semester of 2010 I graduated and started my college career. Through these past five years I’ve gotten more involved with politics and learning how to give back. To this day it troubles me that I live in this privileged world where most people can’t fully grasp how great we have it, and further, that we should be sharing it with others. I love volunteering with my sorority so I can try to give back to those less fortunate. I love raising awareness of troubled people in our country and around the world. Whenever I have the means to give I do. I may not be fighting for my life or rescuing my friends but I realize that I don’t have to. We live in the Capitol. All I have here is my voice and I can use it to try to persuade people to take a look at all of the luxuries they have and to hopefully move them to give back as well. It really is a fine line to becoming a society where we block out the less fortunate because we think we’re better than them and we can’t be bothered, or even further, looking at their misfortunes as a source of entertainment.

Katniss helps me stay hopeful.

I care so much more about everything and everyone around me after reading and watching The Hunger Games trilogy. I want to help. I want to be a part of something good in this world. I want to change it into something better. I look every day for the good in the people around me. I try to remind everyone that we have so much and even when bad things happen, we can learn and grow and move past them, because “there are much worse games to play.”

Thank you Suzanne Collins for creating such a beautiful character that inspires me to be a better person. I am truly blessed to have gotten to know her.

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