There has always been a bit of a debate in the world about whether or not we change as people throughout our lifetime. The argument that we're born with certain qualities and quirks that stay with us forever is strong but, quite honestly, it’s something I have to disagree with. While there are definitely qualities that we come into this world bearing, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we cast them upon everyone we meet our entire lives. I have changed a significant amount from the time I was 5 years old to my sophomore year of college, and that’s just the beginning of my formation as a human.

When I was 5 years old, my parents threw me the most elaborate birthday party you could think of. They invited all of my friends (granted, at that point my friends consisted mostly of neighbors and family members) and decked out our backyard in fall festival-themed everything. I remember it so vividly but not for the reason you might think. That birthday party was the most traumatic experience of my childhood. I clearly did not have a very difficult adolescence, but that’s beside the point. I refused to interact with any human other than my mom at that party and shut myself in my bedroom until it was over. Moral of the story: I was socially anxious and reclusive for most of my childhood.

When I was 9 years old, I remember putting on shows for my parents in our living room. It’s a pretty classic thing for kids to do, but it was my first introduction to acting and producing characters that were not who I was. And I loved that I was able to share these characters with other people (that’s a pretty significant change from 5-year-old me, wouldn’t you say so?). And so the mold I had formed for myself expanded.

When I was 14 years old, I gave my first speech. I know exactly what you’re thinking right now: “Wow, so the girl who couldn’t even attend her own birthday party is now giving a speech?!” THAT’S RIGHT. Talk about change. I'd been selected to give the student speech at my eighth grade graduation. I mean, sure, it wasn’t like it was broadcasted or anything. And it was addressed only to my small middle school class and their parents. But it was the first time I was presenting myself in front of a group of people as myself and not a character on stage. And thus, my love for public speaking was born.

Today, I don’t think I can identify at all with that little girl cowering in her bedroom on her birthday except for the fact that I still really love the "Powerpuff Girls". My point is, we are constantly changing all the time and, funnily enough, we don’t even realize it. For five years of my life, I was afraid to go into the grocery store by myself. But the day I finally did it, it didn’t feel like some monumental stride. It just felt like I was being myself. And that’s because I was. Our actions and hobbies and fears change with us. And the fun part about all of this is that we never stop changing — it’s constant and exciting and wonderful. So embrace it!