Coming from a small high school of less than 150 students in my graduating class to a school with almost 50,000 students, the transition was anything but smooth. While my brother had just graduated from UC San Diego, he stayed close to home. He didn’t understand what I was going through leaving my childhood behind. As UC Berkeley is miles and miles away from the people I love, I never realized how much I relied on their support until the day they closed the car door and drove away. While I was looking at the back of the car knowing they weren’t coming back to me.
Weeks leading up to move-in day, my parents and I would spend every weekend doing something we used to love doing when I was a kid; going to the beach, getting ice cream, going to an amusement park, or binge watching movies all day. It was the day before I left for college when it hit me: the place I call home would soon turn into my “hometown.” This small word pushed me to realize I was really growing up. Most of the people I’d graduated with, I’d also grown up with. Leaving my friends who saw me grow into who I am now was an indescribable feeling. I’d say this transition is the hardest one I’ll ever have to experience. Leaving a place I was raised my whole life, not seeing my best friends everyday at school, but most of all coming home and not hearing the voices of my family.
But in the moments where I find myself second guessing my decision to move away, I look back on the sacrifices my family made for me to be here. My grandparents did the same, moving away in order to chase their dreams and create a better future for me. Being at a school like UC Berkeley instills a deep sense of purpose within me that makes every difficult moment worth it. Although the transition has been overwhelming at times, it’s also taught me so much: independence, resilience, and the importance of stepping outside of my comfort zone. Each day, I’m learning how to navigate this new chapter on my own, while still ensuring that I carry the values and support system that shaped me into who I am. Even though home isn’t a few steps away anymore, it continues to live within me, guiding me as I proceed on my journey of growth in the real world and into the person I’m meant to become.Â