Let me tell you about two students:

Student number one grew up outside of Philadelphia, Pa and is a student at George Mason University. He lives with his single mother in an apartment. He is a Film Studies major who one day hopes to make a career in the film industry making films that tell stories that no one really pays attention to.

Student number two graduated from a high school where he was popular, but was often judged for not having two parents in his life. He’s never met his father and it is because of this that he is insecure about almost every facet of his life. He always as a sense that everyone is rooting for him to fail and that he constantly needs to prove himself.

I would be a liar if I said that at some points, I wasn't either one of these students.

All my life, I have struggled with many things, the majority of them being because I've never met my father.

And I don't know if I ever want to.

For everything I've accomplished, he hasn't been there.

He wasn't there when I graduated high school.

He wasn't there when I got into George Mason.

He wasn't there when I earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

Why would I want him here now?

For all my life, I've been known as the kid with one parent.

To be fair, though, my incredible mom did the work of 5,000 parents, so, I wouldn't have even needed him anyway.

I have been looked down on because of the fact that I have never met my father. I have struggled with depression. I always want to work more because I feel that everyone is looking down on me and expecting me to fail.

So why am I writing this article?

To show that I’m not that different from the regular person, and that there is no need to pity me.

I’ve always been looked at with a feeling of pity.

“Oh, he's never met his Dad, how sad.”

It made me so angry.

Getting judged like this at such a young age made me realize something; the only way that I can prove myself is if I go out and get it myself.

For all my life, I’ve had to deal with these stereotypes, and it confused and angered me until I figured out that if I let it get to me, then it will just prove their point.

Every time I have been judged because of my situation, I have worked infinitely harder because of it.

I graduated high school.

I got into a great college.

I earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

And I'm not done yet.

I’m tired of being looked at because of a scenario that I was born into, and if you want to judge me because of it, I’m fine with that.

But have fun looking up to me when I succeed.