After purchasing my camera two years ago, I have a learned a lot from what it has taught me. If you can make the investment, I highly recommend, especially if you have an artistic eye. Plus, you'll have some pretty great Instagram photos.

A lot of people were curious as to why I'd by a big digital camera if I wasn't interested in perusing photography in my education and when I'd had no other experience with it. I was thinking the same questions myself but I always had an artistic eye and wanted something that would help me relieve stress and to also explore more of what was around me. I feel like I have grown a lot after making the investment and am glad that it has brought me this far.

My camera has taught me to keep my eyes open and to appreciate the world around me. I have noticed small things that I otherwise would've just passed by. I have begun to notice strangers' facial expressions on the streets, small movements and gestures, and always have my eye for a cool background or lighting for my friends to pose under.

You will become the designated friend with the camera, I guarantee it. Yes, iPhones have great camera quality, but when you purchase a digital camera of your own, you'll become the one taking all of the cool pictures because cell phone cameras don't compare.

Photography has become my biggest stress reliever. Walking outside with my camera by myself has taught me to just take everything one step at a time and to not stress. It forces me to get out and to go outside and gives me something that I can do for myself. There are no deadlines, no grades, no required quantity of photos that need to be taken, this is something that I can do purely for my own benefit.

Furthermore, my camera helped me to step outside of my boundaries and outside of my comfort zone. In the beginning of my fall semester, as a college freshman, I posted on my college's Facebook page asking if anyone wanted their pictures taken, free of charge. By doing so, I met a ton of interesting people and got some really cool photos out of it as well. I never would've done this if it weren't for my camera.