The first time I ever moved I was 4 years old. I was moving from College Station, Texas to Orlando, Florida. Of course, I was so young it's not like it rocked my world. But I do remember the moving boxes and the process filled with realtors and sitting in offices for long hours. When we lived in Orlando, I attended two different elementary schools in three years due to zoning. At only 7, I had gotten used to change and shifting between places.

My family moved to a suburb north of Austin when I was in fourth grade. That was a much different move of course. I vividly remember saying goodbye to my elementary school friends in Florida and registering for my new (and third) elementary school in Texas. And now, at 18, I've moved for the fourth time, but this time all on my own.

I was never one of those kids that could say "I've had the same friends since preschool" or "I've lived in the same house for 18 years." And while when I was younger the moves were a pain, it makes me happy that I've been able to adapt to so many new places. I've learned how to make friends easily and how to get my bearings in a new state. And now, as a college freshman living out of state, I can adjust more easily than my classmates who've felt so connected to their hometowns their whole life.

While I've always lived in the general southeastern area -- I've lived in different cultures and have seen different ideas and expressions. As I am right now, living in Mississippi has been a huge change from living 25 minutes from downtown Austin. Living in different places, while at first an inconvenience, has been a blessing in disguise. I'm prepared and adjusted to live and explore anywhere, and I know in the future that my career won't be held back by wanting to stay in one place.