My decision to leave my home for the past twenty years and continue my education at San Francisco State is by far the biggest decision I’ve made to date. When I was younger, say maybe about 18 or so the decision would have been easier because I felt like I just wanted to get away from anything in Yuba City. My first year at Yuba Community College (a college that combined many small towns) made me feel like I had finally found people that I could relate to and wanted to be around. I had made real friends that I felt comfortable being myself around and they were just as into the same nerdy stuff that I was. I had also managed to somehow get myself into a relationship, which wasn’t the best, but at the time I thought it was worth whatever trouble I went through. Things had finally begun going my way at community college considering my rough high school years. It only took 3 years to make feel like staying in Yuba City compared to the rest of my life before than wanting to leave Yuba City. It became a tough choice to finally leave, but I would have regretted it if I didn’t.
I went through two more years of community college when I got my first job at the age of 21(very late, but my parents thought I should “focus” on school) and I started to have more freedom as far as what I was allowed to do and not allowed to do around and outside of the household. My first job was working at a video rental store (I love movies and it was locally owned, so it was extremely kick back) and the other half of the store was an adult store (where all the employees were women, pretty sweet I’d say). Beer money in my pocket finally and friends to drink with, I was really having fun at 21. Working at the “shop” eventually got me into a better relationship, not just with someone who I enjoyed a weekend with. I actually enjoyed working and being with this person throughout the day, every day.
Although I had taken my sweet ass time at community, at 22 it was finally time to move on. I had finally earned and completed my transfer units and it was down to deciding on where to go to school. All of my years of living in Yuba City wanted me to get the hell out, but the last few years had definitely made me want to stay close. I had to look at what programs were offered at nearby colleges and whether I’d be happy going there. As far as nearby, it was down to Sacramento State and Chico State, but I felt inside that I didn’t belong or would not feel accomplished there. Many of my old classmates from high school went to both and as far as high school goes, I wanted to make any possible connections impossible.
It wasn’t until my brother, who had been living in Daly City with my aunt working as a temp for a biotech company was offered a permanent position. At this time is when I begun to heavily consider moving with my brother to the bay and further way than I had originally thought. I discussed the idea of finding an apartment in the bay and attending college with my brother, who was very supportive and thought it’d be a good idea. I discussed it with my parents and it went pretty smoothly, but I think it is because they knew I’d be living with my brother. The difficult part of all this would be leaving everything I had gained in the last few years.
It took about a month of going over everything I’d give up if I moved, such as hanging out with my friends on the weekends, seeing my girlfriend just about every day, being closer to my family(including extended family), and having a pretty fun job with people I really got along with. In that time I also thought about what I’d be doing with my future if I were to of stayed, which is nothing sadly. The consequences of me leaving is that I’d give up spending so much time with the people I had learned to love. On the other hand, I’d be moving away from Yuba City. A city where there was no future for someone like me, someone my age who wanted more out of life than a daily routine in a small town where things never changed and the people were the same. Living away from home would be complete liberation from everything I had in Yuba City, the good and the bad. Even though I had gained a lot of good things in my life, the bad and my future could only lead me to leave.
I made the choice to leave Yuba City because it was my chance and it was my time. My brother had offered to help subsidize the cost of rent, living cost and my parents were willing to help me with anything I needed. All of my friends and my girlfriend supported me in my decision, even though I’d see them a lot less, they knew it was something I had wanted for a long time. This was my opportunity that was granted to me by my family, their work and their support to help me advance my education, not just by going to any college, but by moving away and letting me experience life on my own. I would have been a fool to not take this chance.
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