My Imaginary Friends

Leaving my home in Hawaii and moving to Oregon was one of the hardest things for me to do. Maybe I would have felt better about it if my parents had asked me for my opinion before picking up our lives and moving to some place I had never even heard of before. I know I shouldn’t have cared that much. After all, I was only a 1st grader and even now my parents don’t consider how I’d feel before making decisions, so why would they then? At the end of 2007, I said goodbye to my best friends for the last time and left for Oregon.

Have you ever moved? I have and It’s hard, packing up and moving along with leaving any friends or family behind. Moving to a place you only visit once a year is, though, also I have only seen a small part of this state, the area by my grandma’s house. The summer of 20ll was a rough time. It was the year we moved from Florida to Kansas because my mom found a better job.

After school got out I went to go spend some time with my auntie, brother, and little sisters in Lower Brule. I was down there until summer school started then I had no choice but to come back. I didn’t want to fall behind in my classes again. After I got done with summer school, I stayed in town for a couple days then I went back to Lower Brule for a week. I had plans to go back home to Oklahoma for a few months but that didn’t go as planned because if it did I wouldn’t be

I made so many new friends, found new places to visit, and I am a part of a Marching Band. If that is not a success, I do not know what is. This experience has taught me a valuable lesson. I should not be afraid to try new things. All through January of 2015, I was so scared to leave Connecticut and move to Jersey. I wanted to stay with my friends and I did not want to change anything. But after two years, I have realized that some change can actually be good. Now, I try to do as much as I can. Instead of being scared that something bad is going to happen to me, I should just go through with it and maybe it will turn out positively. You know what they say, You Only Live Once. That is why I think moving to Marlton was one of the biggest challenges I had to face in my

Roughly four years ago I moved to Buffalo with my mom and two sisters, best move ever. Before then I had lived in Rochester, or to be more specific, Brockport. My childhood house was big and gray. It had a huge yard and very long driveway. However, my house in Brockport is not my home. I call home my green and white Tudor styled Kenmore house. It has a small green yard and a short driveway. It has been the best part of my life because of all the opportunities that were missed out on when you live so far away. Here in Buffalo I have the opportunity to go the high school where my mom, aunts, grandma, cousins, and sisters all graduated from. For now my job is going to that high school, but the second I turn sixteen, I will be working as a cashier at the dashes down the street from my home, a little family tradition. The reason I moved though, is hands down the most awful thing to happen to me or that can happen to a little kid, like I was at the time.

When I first heard we were moving here, I thought to myself. Why did dad have to take this job? I mean I don’t hate it here. I just hate the fact that I didn’t get to tell most of my friends I was leaving. Although, something good came out of this. I get to see an old friend of mine, at least start something over. This house is nicer than the one before. I still remember the time when mom thought there was a rat in the cabinets, man was she scared.

I've been living in the same apartments for over 10 years. My family was very accepting when it came to what I needed and how I felt. Whenever I required school supplies, clothes, or even something unimportant as toys they made sure that I always had them. They saw that I was prospering at school both in knowledge and social skills so they rewarded my achievements. I was thought to make school a priority and that they would worry about the rest. I never had any worries as a child but as I got older I understood that they made many sacrifices as a whole family of immigrants so that they could shield me from the hardships. I am very thankful in that I hold no grudges, horrible memories, burdens, or regrets from my childhood. They instilled the idea that within time and with hard work I could accomplish anything. Along with them my neighbor-hood also impacted me by introducing me to people that I now call friends and family who have shaped who I am through their experiences. From my childhood to know I have seen them grow, change, move on, or pass away in the apartments that I’ve lived in. Change is what I've grown to accept due to father time leaving some behind while some got ahead.This change was present through seeing friends lose themselves to, change of schools, drugs, alcohol, a negative mindset, and even

Recently my family was uprooted from our lovely little town in southeast Georgia and moved halfway across the country to none other than the home of the National Quilt Museum, Paducah, Kentucky. At first I was really hesitant, I mean I had good reason, what normal person wants to up and leave everything they’ve known their whole life? Well, obviously, after much debate with my family I ended up here at McCracken County High School, home of the Mustangs.

It was June of 2013 and I was in my room cooling, watching “Good Luck Charlie”. My mom came into my room saying that she was ready to move out of New York. Obviously I did not want to move out of the city I was born in. My mom never liked living in New York, so she always thought about moving. So the plan was to move in August. Time went by and I was thinking about what North Carolina would be like. I really wasn’t thinking about the friends I was leaving in Brooklyn, that never crossed my mind.

So in October of 2014, I made a decision that I wanted more out of life and decided to move to Columbia, S.C. It has been an adventure and decided I could not have been more proud of. I am a country girl from a small town of Newberry County with country fields, historical buildings, apartment complex, and the joys of knowing everyone in the town. I have always wanted to get out of the small town and have desired to see and experience what else life had to offer in another city, even though it is only thirty to forty-five minutes from my hometown, I consider it a new beginning and start in my success of life.

Both my parents sacrificed their careers for my betterment. "This would be the right thing to do" would be their response. Finally, on June 14th, 2015 we relocated to Florida. In the process, we racked up tens of thousands of dollars of debt as well. My parents still say "it was all worth it" since I have been well ever since I arrived in the warm weather. I am actually looking forward to the winters now for the first

Finally something made things begin to turn around. I made my first friend! I got my first job! Not only that but I got my first car! My mom allowed me to drive to Rio Vista to visit the friends I had to leave. I was pretty much free to roam as long as I went to school, work, and came home by curfew. I was the happiest I had been since I moved to Sacramento, and I had someone near by the could enjoy the happiness with

This past summer, I moved in with my grandparents. It was hard to move from the place that I’ve lived most of

When mom told me we were moving, she actually meant it! I just thought it was another one of Alex’s schemes to help her with her psychology class. I personally think that class is a complete waste of time and energy. All you do is sit and watch people walk around. Isn’t that what TV is for? Well anyway, now here we are trotting along to our new life in New York City. I am VERY angry with my parents because they never asked me if I was okay with any of this. When I was in LA, I had so much fun with my friends. I had the life a sixth grader had always wanted: Chess Club - Tuesdays and Thursdays, Running Club - Friday, Sports Club - Saturday and Sunday, Duke TIP - Everyday and my other classes. I was always the top student and athlete. I was shocked and thrilled when she told us we were

It goes without saying that I love my family. Since I can remember we have always been very close and have *mostly* retained this bond as a 23-year-old man (feels weird saying). In many ways, they have been supportive, encouraging me to pursue my interests and always letting me know that I can rely on them. And since I was born, I always have. They have made endless sacrifices to grant me the privileges I enjoy and take for granted, and for this I will always respect them. I have every intention of making it up to them, making them proud and proving myself out in the real world. But the first step requires I get there first and now more than ever I feel that I am ready. For the most part, I have been quite comfortable at home and my relationship with my family has been a source of happiness and security. But this is not the whole story, things have also been rocky at times, especially as I transition from their baby boy to this transitional state coined, emerging adulthood. I am blossoming intellectually and although I am still uncertain about my future, I actually feel and believe that I have potential, and this shift from idle boy to industrious man has been gradual but steady. I do not have the privacy needed to attend to my studies or live my life fully without fear of judgment or scrutiny. There is a lot of pressure involved, and I do not like restrictions on my life while still following them out of respect for my parents and acknowledgement that this is not my house.