As graduation begins to approach, I must soon have to find a job. As a communications major, I am aware that most of the jobs that pertain to my major are located in either New York or California.

For someone who has grown up on the East Coast her whole life, I can tell you that I am very sick of living here. No matter where you travel to on the East Coast, everything to see and do here is the same-- same hills, mountains, beaches, shops-- and it got old.

Thus, instead of looking to find work in New York, which is a state over from where I live, I am determined to seek work in California. Being over 3,000 miles away from me, I know this is a big step, but from being in California before, I know that the move will be worth it.

With everything I know about California and have seen there, I am willing to pack my bags and move in a heartbeat. There are many things in California, and the West, in general, that has attracted me to it, ever since I spent a few days there about 6 years ago.

When I first arrived in California by plane, as I looked below, the land looked beautiful, vast, and gorgeous. There are miles of palm trees, breathtaking beaches, and cool-looking houses with red, cylinder-like roofs, and swimming pools. To me, California looked like paradise.

California is populated with over 38 million people, according to Google’s statistics from 2014. Although there are many people living there, California’s population is diverse with countless individuals. When I was walking around in San Francisco, I witnessed many hippies, LGBT people, business people, hipsters, and other interesting people.

The wide variety of people who live in California attract me to the state-- it makes me believe that the state is culturally diverse and that people who live in California are more accepting of people, no matter who you are and what you dress like. In California, you never know what type of people you’ll meet.

The environment and culture in California is awesome-- it can range from being extremely laid-back to fast-pace and fun. During morning and mid-day when everyone’s in a rush to work, there are a lot of traffic jams and people scattering fast here and there on the streets.

But in the evening, especially on beaches, people seem to be so laid-back without a single worry in the world. That’s what I like about California: You get a little bit of all worlds and no one will care who you are. They just let you be.

In California, there are a wide-variety of different cultures. The hippies roam around with their hand-made and artsy clothing; the hipsters walk around in skater/punk/modern-day clothes; the business people walk around in business attire; and other people dress however they want. Everyone’s culture in California is unique and different and I respect it so much.

Another thing that I admire about California is its art scene. It seems like everywhere you walk in California, you are constantly surrounded by art. Whether the art be from buildings; statues; graffiti; clothes; music in the streets; or in individual thrift shops and stores, art is everywhere and you cannot help but stop and admire it.

With millions of people living in California, I am sure to find work-- especially once I have my degree in Communications. Los Angeles and Santa Barbara have many communication agencies and firms out there. Some of the agencies include Nickelodeon, MTV, Hollywood Studios, and other industries.

It would be cool if I could work for National Geographic or something within the matter of travel writing. Ever since I was a young girl, my passion has always been traveling. Since I’ve traveled to Europe and Australia, my passion for traveling has continued to grow. Learning about other people and cultures have always fascinated me, too.

In the West, there are endless parts of the land and people to explore. The air of freedom in California has always amazed me and soothed my soul. I’m sure once I get to California, the opportunities of jobs will be endless. Freedom and a fresh beginning is right around the corner-- so close that I can almost taste it! And it’s waiting for me to be explored.