Hi!
okay so if you've found this video and you don't know who I am
I'm just gonna tell you a few things about myself! My name's Shannon
I'm 21, I'm from Texas, I'm currently a senior in college
And I'm also.. Gay!
I'm gonna give you a little background information now. When I was a freshman in college
I was in not so great place with
myself about figuring out who I am
and I ended up on this website tumblr. Really unexpectedly I gained
these followers and I never thought that would happen. It was really exciting
and really helpful to have these people behind me
who were listening to my story and who related to me but also I related to them
and for the first time a really long time I felt like people understood me
it was really exciting for me and I was like
all about it and I was on the computer all the time and I thought it was so fun
and so exciting and then I kinda realize it was like
kind of becoming sort of unhealthy. I was living more online than I was
in my own life. So I kind of took a step back.
And for the past couple years since then
I have just been focusing on
coming to terms with myself and also
talking to people in my real-life
about myself and who I am
and relating to them
and it's been really really really great I'm so thankful I am so glad I took a
step back from
the internet to focus on my real-life and build these relationships and
be honest with who I am and
I also have a girlfriend now who's so great. So although I took a step back
from this online presence that I had I guess back at the
start
I still do have my Tumblr and I have other social media type things and
I still try.. I've been trying to
help others still by just kind of sharing my story
and weirdly enough
I've still just been gaining followers this whole time.
So I've been thinking a lot and it just seems to me
like I have been given this opportunity
and like platform to help
all these people who are
so similar to who I was just a couple years ago
and up until lately I've just kinda... been taking it for granted
So after a lot of thought
I've decided based on the reaction I get
to this video... that
I'm going to take a more active role in
helping
if I can!
by no means do I think that I'm like
this perfect role model or
some all-knowing advice
guru type person. I'm just
me.
I'm just like you. I'm just
a kid.. young adult
I don't have it all figured out
I will probably never have it all figured out.
but I do you have the opportunity to
I guess just be heard
and it seems like an opportunity that I should take.
so...
Okay really quick I just want to end this video with
actually making a video that's maybe a little bit helpful, if I can.
If you feel like you are the only person
going through what you're going through or
feeling what you're feeling
I can guarantee you that you are not
And I can guarantee you that there are people everywhere
who get you. They understand
You. You are not as different so different as you feel.
Just don't give up before you have a chance
to figure that out for yourself.
So if this video
was helpful to you at all or if it wasn't but
you're hoping that I make another for whatever reason, or you have any
ideas that you want me to talk about
or whatever. Just leave me a comment or something
I don't really know how youtube works. Or you can
send me a message on tumblr and I'll put my link
somewhere, I can't believe I'm one of those people now
that points to their links but it will be down there.
so yeah. cool.