032

Make a list of five ways you've changed in the last five years. 

1. I have lost a significant amount of weight.  When I was in high school, I weighed about 135, and now I'm anywhere between 115 and 120, which makes me very happy.  Not only do I look slimmer, but I find myself more confident in my own skin.

2. I am more comfortable being alone.  While I don't like sitting alone in my house or anything like that, I like being unattached.  I used to feel like I couldn't be happy if I wasn't in a relationship, and now I'm really happy with my freedom.

3. I am more outspoken.  This comes mostly from working retail, in which I am told to "Smile and say hi" to every customer.

4. I am definitely more of a cynic.  I think my cynicism is part of the reason I am so much happier being single.  Or maybe I'm just more realistic; life can't always end happily ever after.

5. Finally, I'm definitely less innocent than I was as a senior in high school.  I was very much reserved and a do-gooder in high school.  College allowed me to get outside my comfort zone, and since then I have toned down my behavior considerably, but I'm obviously more mature all around.