I recently had a conversation with a friend that left me feeling kind of proud of myself, honestly. He made the comment that I'm hard to get a handle on, that I'm "trouble." I asked for clarification because I honestly didn't understand how I was trouble.

My dad is a security guard, a good portion of my friends are military or law enforcement, I am a criminal justice major and am usually asleep by midnight. How am I "trouble?"

He explained that it wasn't meant in the sense that I got into trouble but that I was basically a hard nut to crack. I was a blind spot. I didn't play the flirting/dating game the same as many others. I wasn't, "easy," as he put it. I was just different. Thank God!

Considering my friend demographic - overwhelmingly male - I've learned a lot about how they play the game. I felt happy, though, hearing this from him and knowing that he was not the only one who thought this about me. I liked being "trouble," in this sense. I didn't mind the idea of being a hard to figure out kind of girl.

I don't play hard to get, but I certainly pose a challenge. It took me a while to figure out who I am and now that I do, I can't help but cringe at blindly letting people into my life in such intimate ways as dating or hooking up, without some work involved. Please don't think I look down at hookups, I truly don't. It just isn't what I, personally, want for my life, at this point.

This same friend said he wasn't sure what my flaw was. Why wouldn't someone date me? I'm human, I'm sure I have a flaw or two that people wouldn't want to deal with, but I think, if anything, it's the fact that I am a challenge. We live in fast paced hook up culture and most people I know are looking more for a quick fix than a long term anything.

But all that being said, don't think I don't have a life or have fun. I don't have lonely weekends or boring nights. I have friends, plenty of them, who I see all the time and I can't express how lucky I am to have these people in my life. I just don't really date and, yes, if anything, it does grates on me a tad, if only for the fact that I wish I had someone to cuddle, order take-out, and watch Netflix with instead of going out, sometimes.

I'm content being the hard to get girl. I like that I feel that I know my worth. I like that the way I am, the way I feel, makes people work a little harder to get my full attention than just buying me a beer or hitting on me.

Maybe growing up with boys and as one of the guys has tainted me. Maybe I've heard my friends talk about conquests a few too many times and I think I deserve a little better than just being a name on someone's "list."

I am a busy college senior. I work several jobs, including a receptionist position and a figure skating coach. I volunteer with several military organizations and events. I have a plethora of amazing opportunities before me - jobs, schools, etc.

So I don't mind being the hard to get girl. The "trouble" girl. The blind spot. I don't mind, at all, because when I find someone I think is worth letting into my jam packed world, they will be. They won't be a passing fancy or a 2 AM phone call. They will be ready to handle me, my challenges, and my crazy life - and I will be there to do the same for them.

So, no, I don't mind being the hard to get girl. I know what I bring to the table, so believe me when I say I don't mind eating alone.