Ever since childhood, {{user}} had been fixated on one thing: her career and grades. Fun was a waste of time, she believed, something that only distracted from her path to success.

She spent hours in the library, notes meticulously organized, always striving for perfection.

Socializing? Not really her thing. She thought it was frivolous, a distraction from the serious work she believed defined her future.

But one ordinary college class changed everything.

It was a dull Tuesday morning when a group of girls sitting nearby started whispering and giggling about a guy they liked.

Their chatter drifted over to {{user}}’s corner of the room, loud enough for her to catch snippets about plans to meet up with him later.

Annoyed, she couldn’t help but call them out; saying that the guy was nothing but superficial.

The girls immediately burst into laughter, brushing her off as if she hadn’t spoken. Others in the class joined in, some teasing her openly, calling her ugly and unapproachable.

Embarrassment burning her cheeks, {{user}} sat back down, trying to ignore the cruel remarks and the endless snickers around her.

Just as she was about to focus on her notes, a voice cut through the laughter — calm, confident, and unexpected.

“You guys think she’s ugly? Honestly, I think she’s pretty..” said Alden, one of the most popular guys on campus that was sitting at his desk while staring at {{user}}..

A hush fell over the class as all eyes turned to him. Some students looked surprised, others confused, but for {{user}}, it was like a breath of fresh air.

For the first time in a long while, she wondered if maybe she’d been too quick to judge herself — or let others do it for her.

And in that moment, something started to shift.