To whom it may concern,

You tried to bring me down.

You tried to bring me down in 2016 and you tried to bring me down now.

Key word: tried.

You may think me weak because I am kind. You may think me weak because I care too much. You may think me weak because I am too innocent, that I come off as naïve, that I don't fully "participate" in society's standards of a "typical college experience."

"Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me." - Al Capone.

I am stronger than you could ever imagine. You will never be able to tear me down. This may sound like I'm just rambling, trying to convince you- trying to convince me- of these truths, that in this case "the pen is mightier than the sword." But my words are not empty, as yours were.

You tried to drag me down with your hurtful words and your petty comments and your snide remarks as you sat behind a computer screen. And yes, it hurt, initially. But there's something else about not telling something to someone to their face. It's called cowardice. Today's society has taught us that with the ability to hide behind a computer screen or a phone screen, submit to anonymous accounts or switch between fake accounts, that we become "invincible" and can say whatever about whoever. Take that away? You have to own up to your own words and actions? You won't. You wouldn't dare say half of that to someone's face.

Sometimes I wonder who wronged you for you to have such scathing hatred and dissonance for someone else, someone you may have never met in person. You don't even know me.

I've spent four years here, building relationships through all the clubs and organizations and opportunities that I've spread myself thin for. I know so many alum and current students that my support system is vast and strong, centrally and nationally. You can't tear me down because I am being built back up too quickly for you to do any damage whatsoever.

You may think that you got your two cents in, that one good jab. You believe that if you keep using the one argument you've held onto by the whites of your knuckles and have worn out by continually bringing up that one aspect and not rain drop drop top letting the damn issue drop, you will destroy me.

YOU. WON'T.

Why not try starting your own life instead of trying to tear down others? I'm fairly sure it will leave you happier in the end. But that's your decision. All I'm saying is you picked the wrong person to try to destroy in your little game.

I have done things that you will never be able to do. I've had opportunities that you've never dreamed of, considered, or thought possible for a student our age. And don't EVER tell me what content I can and cannot write from those experiences. Don't EVER tell me what I can and cannot share with others that may be going through the same thing, who might identify with whatever my articles entail. You have no right to dictate what I write. You have no idea how far words can reach, how many people they can impact. If you don't like it, don't read it.

I've met so many people, made so many connections, and gone so many places. There is so much that I've achieved despite your doubt, disbelief, envy, even hatred. I've built a life that I'm proud of, that you can NEVER take away, THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN TOUCH.

I've PROVED my worth.

Have you proved yours?

This smudge in the lens of life is not going to be enough to blind me from everything else that's ahead of me.

So you let your negativity rattle away within your emptiness. Because I'm not going to put up with it anymore.