All my life I have been told "Oh you're such a tomboy," or "Oh what a little princess." I won't lie, I didn't pay much attention to these things growing up because well, I was a kid and quite frankly I didn't care. Yes, I have hunted all my life. I've also pretended to be a Disney Princess for a huge proportion of it (some would say I still do) and I find these things to be equally as influential on my life. I learned to bait a hook around the same time I got my first pair of glitter jelly high heels. I had no idea then how much I would thank my parents for this later in life. I got to be whatever little girl I wanted. When I wanted to attempt to put makeup on my face, I could, if I got a little too overzealous well my face was just camouflaged and ready for hunting season.
In high school it was a little more apparent. Some days I was wearing sandals and dresses. Other days I would be wearing sweat pants, slippers and camo hoodies. I noticed around then that this certain combination did not place me into any specific category. It was at this point that I decided this might be the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love the fact that I can go from glamour to mud in five seconds flat, and be equally as happy in either situation.
In college you have all the freedom in the world. You choose what you want to study, who you want to hang out with, who you want to live with. It was in this world that I fell in love with the person I was. Split stereotypes and all. I got the chance to fully live out who I was on a daily basis. I could hang out with my friends and get all dressed up for a girls night out. Wear glitter on my eyes and five inch heels. The very next day, the very next hour, I could go out with friends and be off roading or hiking or doing absolutely anything that I wanted. So I am very sorry society will continue to strain to define me, but that in itself gives me more power to be myself than I have ever known.
