Ever since I was a young girl, I knew that I didn't belong in Salem, Massachusetts. I've had big dreams of being famous. I see myself interviewing celebrities on the red carpet and living by the sandy beaches of Miami or cruising through the Hollywood strip in California. Now, let's get back to reality for a second. I am currently 21 years old, living with mom and dad, and not even close to Miami or California. I am in Pennsylvania, in the cold, struggling to pay my bills and going to school full time.

You see, life tends to somewhat play games with us. Sooner or later we realize that everything we thought was going to happen by the age of 21 was naive to expect. It's funny because, when I was 16, I thought that by this age everything was going to be perfect. I thought I'd be living on my own with a nice car and the job of my dreams. But, unfortunately, reality set in. However, the more I grow older, the more I realize that it's okay to struggle and to not have your life together at this age.

It's okay to only have $10 in your bank account right now and it's okay to not know exactly what you're going to do next in life. I've learned to embrace all of the bumps that seem to get in the way of my goals because I know that they've helped to shape me into the woman I am today. Of course, it's very hard at times. But just know that everything will be okay eventually. And, for now, just enjoy your journey and the little curve balls life throws at you. Believe it or not, they're what make it fun.

"I think we have to go through all this stuff, you know, to get to the places we want to be.”