7 Quotes by Julie Leland

When you think about a reality show, you think about drama or bad things, but honestly, I came out of it with such a positive attitude. It helped me grow. I met some of the most diverse girls who have the most amazing hearts.

My lack of enthusiasm was due to my illness the night before. I was in the hospital until 3 a.m. and had to be up at 6 a.m.. Even though I was feeling just as sick as I was earlier, I decided to do the challenge with the rest of the girls. It probably hindered me from doing the best of my capabilities, but I wanted to show them that I could be strong.

When I signed up for the show, my ultimate goal was being a role model for 13 million readers, but towards the end of the process it became more about the experience that will lead me to be a better role model. When that opportunity comes along I will have gained so much more knowledge and understanding about people and situations that will help me with whatever lies ahead.

We all grew up pretty fast. When we moved to Seattle, I just realized that family is important. They are the key.

I learned that not everyone is the same; some are quick to judge, and if you're strong and keep your chin up you can achieve so many things while learning about others. When people come together and go through the same thing, it's amazing how much you depend on each other and you become a support team.

I decided to go on the show because I wanted to take an opportunity that would give me the chance to speak to millions of teens about the important things in life. I wanted to share my message of staying strong to who you are in the face of adversity, and this seemed like the perfect way to achieve that goal.

The challenge pushed me as a leader to strive and come out of my comfort zone. We got to meet so many amazing people who work for MTV and actually getting to be in the TRL studio was an incredible experience that I definitely did not take for granted.