Lee described her school years as a "weird fit for [her]" and was "a loner for while". She believes that this is what inspired her to get into writing, which became an "outlet for all the bad stuff [she] was feeling". Lee was voted to be on homecoming court, but missed the announcement because she didn't expect to get chosen. She graduated from high school in 2000. She briefly attended Middle Tennessee State University to study music theory and composition. She dropped out to focus on her band.