My Hunter Experience - Ashley

Life Update

Hey y'all, it's Ash!

So I'm not sure how many of y'all read this and in all honesty this chapter is for me because I love coming back to this story and re-reading my experiences since I tend to forget the little things.

Anyways, it's a little crazy how life turns out sometimes. When I decided to be a know-it-all fan club president I was only 12 years old. Hi, hello, I'm eighteen now. And although I still don't know what my life holds, I'm extremely thankful for everything Matt and this fan base has provided me with. It's an experience I will never forget and filled with memories of happiness that I will carry until I'm old.

So I stayed pretty active within the fan club from ages 12-15, but then life happened and I started to get more involved in my schoolwork.

Many of you might not have known this but I am a complete geek. Hehe. I love reading and I absolutely loved school! I loved calculus and biology and I even played an instrument (obvs not as many as Cristal but i played at least one). Im honestly a little sad that I never shared that part of my life with ya'll or Matt– I really wish I would've felt more comfortable and confident with who I was at the time.

Worry not because after reducing my involvement in the fan club I actually used the skills that I had picked up from M&G planning and management communication to take over my school.

Kidding of course, kind of.. I actually joined ASB and kind of became the head of almost every committee including major things like formals and prom. Also, I joined around 8 clubs and actually became the president of a couple. Truth be told, I was building my resume... but along the way I kind of fell in love with it all over again.

It was the same kind of scene, same responsibilities, same budgets... only this time I was sixteen and had matured A LOT.

Being able to tell my friends that when I was twelve I ran a fan club is still one of my favorite things to talk about. It's like I relive the moments. I love those moments with all my heart. Although I was an inch and a half up Matt's ass, I was never able to have an actual conversation with him because I was such a kid. Honestly, I could talk for hours with Louisa and Carrington about scheduling and business, but I couldn't even say my name around matt.

It's crazy to think about it all because I can't remember who I was before I turned 15. I always seem to remember myself as the girl who was never afraid, but then I remember the times where I was soo shy when talking to matt and I think... maybe he played a bigger role in my life than what I originally thought.

I have a little sister. And she seems to care about nothing now, only spends her time on her phone and thinks she's too cool for everyone. I was that girl. I didn't socialize or even think about anything serious until Matt and this fan base showed me to care.

I remember daydreaming with my cousins about how we were going to be standing nearby when you first appeared on Ellen, and then how we would be standing by to hear you announce your next tour, how we would see you on a big stage and know we knew you before it all, etc...

And maybe it seems ridiculous, but now I know that for a young girl an experience like this is life changing. It's unforgettable.

Matt, thank you. You don't know this and you probably never realized what an impact you had, but you're a big part of the reason as to why I'm following my dream.

I'm eighteen now, I'm an undergraduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles and I am fully aware of how dramatic this open letter to you is.

Life is going good. I'm in college. I've gone to a college party, I've done some stupid things, I've made amazing friends, I learned how to drive somewhere along the line, and oh, I'm still running events. No biggie just working for UCLA out here, serving 2000+ people. Thanks for the skill set to kick ass.

To the boy who had me over the moon the day he called me on my birthday,

                       I'm proud you had the courage to   
                       chase your dream. You gave me
                       the world I wanted when I was
                       only twelve years old.

Keep chasing your dream rockstar, you're inspiring millions along the way. Just remember to keep your feet on the ground always. I'll forever cherish the memories teenage me reeled over day and night.

Oh, and if you're wondering... the hat is proudly sitting in my dorm now.