Growing up in the same city and the same house for my entire life, it was a no brainer to me that I wanted to move away for college in order to experience something new and different. I wanted to experience all four seasons, rather than sun all year round. I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone and force myself to expand my horizons. Despite the complete and utter excitement I felt for this journey, I was terrified and unsure of what it would mean for me. Would I fall in love with a new city and never move back to Los Angeles? Or would I be miserable and spend the next four years of my life waiting to move back home?
Despite these fears and reservations, I followed my heart and moved over 1,000 miles away from home to learn, discover myself and embrace on a journey I never could have predicted. The adventures that have come with moving to a new city have made me fall in love with my decision and my school all over again each and every day. Being in my third year in a new city, I am still completely infatuated with Seattle, but there is no doubt in my mind that LA will always be home.
When I moved away for school, I did not think I would miss home as much as I do because being home became a daily ritual that underwent little to no change. After all of the friends I have made, the experiences I have had and the lessons I have learned over the last few years, it is terrifying to think that if I had not moved away and had chosen to stick with the comfort of home, I would have missed out on so many opportunities.
While leaving home meant naturally growing apart from some relationships, I would not change the experiences I have had or the people that I have met on this journey away from home for anything in the world. As my senior year of college quickly approaches, people keep asking me what my plans are for after I graduate. All of the friends that I have made are curious if I will be staying in Seattle or if I am leaving them to move back home. I wish that I could live with the friends I have made in college for the rest of my life and take on the world with my best friends by my side, but the truth of the matter is, LA will always be home.
Going to school far from home has fueled me to realize and determine the person that I want to be and has forced me to grow up and rely on myself when the going gets tough. As amazing as this experience of independence and constant learning has been, there is something about flying over LA and seeing the gleaming city lights that warms my heart up. This view is now, and always will be, my favorite view in the world because the second I see those lights, I know that I have found my way home.
