#3307 IF DARYL DIES, WE RIOT! No one is safe including you too, UMD Squirrel!

#3306 In honor of National Coming Out Day, I feel that I should share my coming out story - as it is one that not many people know; or at least, some of the more serious details.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not easy growing up as openly gay in South Florida, no matter how close you are to Miami and Fort Lauderdale. I was always bulled and teased in school, and never had any actual friends until my 11th grade of high school. I was always picked on for being different. In elementary school, it was because I was different. I'd read a book instead of going to recess, and I started watching the news in 2nd grade. In middle school, it was because people thought that I was gay, and in high school, it was because I actually was. No matter how much I tried to fit in, I could never find a group of people who accepted me. I would always be teased verbally, and was even subject to physical assaults. Sometimes, I'd get pushed against the wall, or tripped and "accidentally" kicked, where the person would then cough "faggot." I never told my parents that this continued through high school - I wanted them to think that I was happy.

After a long time of thinking and debating, I decided to come out on November 9, 2010 - two days before my 16th birthday. I wanted to have a clean start when my 16th year of life came in, but it was far from that. When I told my parents that I was gay, they never took it negatively, though, they were misinformed and uneducated. This made it difficult for them to understand me for who I was and how I was feeling. This made things extremely hard for me. People at school would chant "Deese is a queer" or "stay away from the fag." With no friends or strong support structure of people to support me, and with my parents not being fully understanding of my sexuality, I decided that I was going to take my life. My father is a police officer, and I grew up around guns. One day, mom and dad were out shopping for groceries and my little brother was playing outside with his friends. I went to my dad's room, got his pistol from his police belt and took it to my bedroom.

I remember crying, thinking about how after all these years of trying to be myself and trying to help others and just be normal - whatever "normal" was - that I'd always receive the short end of the stick. I put the gun up to my right temple, held my breath, counted to 3, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. The firing pin didn't strike the bullet properly, so the gun didn't go off. I put the gun back to my head again, counted to 3, and felt my finger on the trigger. But I didn't pull it a second time. I put the gun down and began crying again. I decided that I'd give life one more try.

I put the gun away, and started searching for "gay teen suicide help" on Google. I found something called The Trevor Project. The organization had a phone number to call, which I decided to do. The counselor on the other end - is the person who saved my life. His name was Adam. We talked about coming out, my feelings, how I'd been treated. His voice was so comforting on the other end of the line. He assured me that I was fine the way I was, that things would get better, and that suicide should never be the option for when I feel frustrated. I continued to call The Trevor Project for the next month and a half whenever I'd have a rough day, and a few months later, I began working for the organization, on the Youth Advisory Council.

3 years later, I continue to work for The Trevor Project, going around the nation, sharing my story - and saving lives. I also have the amazing opportunity of going to an outstanding university - the college that people at school, including my own guidance counselor - said that I would never get into. And I've been nominated for an activist award in the DC area - when people said that I was worthless and would never amount to anything.

Not everyone's life or coming out experience is peachy. Life is hard. And that's why we as an LGBT community must stick together, to ensure that all people are included, and that there is no division - for if we want true equality; a world with no more youth suicide, a world with full rights and benefits granted to all - we must accept each other, regardless of our differences. Coming out shapes us into the people that we are, and the people that we become. We act certain ways because of how we grew up in the past - how we were treated by others. And that's why we must make an effort to accept all people - because you never know what their half of the story is.

#3305 I would like to make a shout out to all of the RAs on North Campus, without them, all those freshmen and sophomores drunks could've gotten in much worse situations.

Thank you for all that you do, North Campus RA's!!!

#3304 I love when I discover old tv shows I used to watch and forgot about. Then I spend the next several weeks doing nothing but watching them

#3303 I've thought about killing myself everyday for the 2+ years I've been here. I've been to the UHC, DSS, and best psychiatrists at Hopkins medical center and they can't figure out what's wrong with me. Do I have a chance at peace/happiness if I leave? Will others understand why I had to go? I can't be a soulless number for much longer and people here don't care enough to help.

#3302 I love the song Seasons of Love but I've never seen Rent.

#3301 My roommate is gone for the weekend. I am mastrubating and eatting an entire bag of caramels.

#3300 I took a shit on my ex girlfriend's boyfriends car hood while they were in OC and let it sit there for about a week. I called her afterwards and asked "how'd the shit smell?". She was thoroughly impressed. Then I drove up there fucked her and nutted on his pillow...Yup I'm an asshole, but I don't care. In my book, that's a 3000% WIN