I have a stressful job. But I also had parents who saw me as an individual, raised me to believe that a woman’s opinion is just as valid as a man’s, that my body and clothing are not responsible for a man having sexual thoughts, that I am never to put up with abuse, that it’s important that women get an education (even if they end up being a stay-at-home mom), that LGBT people are born the way they are, and deserve respect and rights, that it’s not my place to judge others, and they encouraged me to develop my own personality. My parents would also have killed me if I got married at 19. As well, I wasn’t blanket trained, could wear what I wanted, allowed to be around people who had different beliefs than me, and wasn’t brainwashed.

Lauren can have her job-free easy life. I think I got the better deal.