My first T.V. memory was watching "Survivor" with my dad and older brother back when I was about four. I had no idea then that it would still be on 18 years later or that I would still be watching it weekly. But, here we are with the adventure of a lifetime still being aired for everyone to see.

When I was little, "Survivor" seemed like a dream. People go on the show to compete for a million dollars and in the process have gotten to go everywhere from the Australian Outback to Fiji while they participate in challenges and vote off complete strangers. As a kid, I always looked forward to being old enough to try to apply and play myself -- all the while trying to convince my dad to go play.

The show became so much more to me than just watching people play in this crazy social experiment. It became a way to bond with my family, as we always watched together and would talk about the show. It gave me a family in college -- because why else would I join a "Survivor"-related student organization if not for the fact I was a huge fan of the show?

Watching "Survivor" gave me a weird sense of adventure in my own life. There are some things that you only have the opportunity to do once, so why not do them? It also got me very interested in people and social behavior at a very young age. There are contestants from so many different walks of life -- which would later make me realize how I would want to have a career that works with a large range of populations. The prospect of being able to work with so many different people just made everything seem more interesting.

Lastly, "Survivor" made me fall in love with storytelling. Contestants are edited to be seen as villains, heroes, underdogs, and so much more. I grew up watching these stories while hearing these people talk about their lives outside of the game. Amid all the strategy and deception, these are still normal people who are playing the game. I fell in love with the show and the stories that were told every season.

So here I am, watching this show that started back in 2000 and yes, it's still on.