Personal Narrative Essay: My Trip To California

When I first came to Arizona on 1/1 which is same as the start of 2015 I realized that this place is gonna be extremely hot in summer.

Growing up in Southern California, I was surrounded by coastal culture, which has influenced me in many ways. No matter whether I lived in San Diego or Ventura county, I was never more than ten minutes away from the beach. Every weekend, it seemed, my dad would take us to the beach as family so we could play in the water, build sandcastles, catch hermit crabs, see the tide pools, and most of all, spend time together. I was enchanted by all the beach had to offer. Every sandcastle built was a palace for a hermit crab and every tide pool a thriving community. Whenever I stepped into the water, my imagination would run wild. Despite how often we went, I always enjoyed our days at the beach.

It was mid-winter of 1848, I was doing my daily chores when my neighbor brought news that two days earlier, on January 24, James W. Marshall made a discovery of gold on his piece of land in California. At first, I didn’t think that this would affect me in any way, but then I realized I could start a new life in California filled with gold and fortune, away from my small farm in Missouri. I decided to pack up my things and start on my long journey to California, I packed enough food, water, and supplies to last me a few months. The next morning I was surprised to see that not many others from my town were seeking gold, I knew it was unsafe for me to travel alone, but I was sure I’d meet others along the way.

It was the day we were leaving for Florida for a U16 soccer tournament in West Palm Beach, July 2nd to be precise. A drive to Florida from where we live takes around 18 hours. We finished supper at 5:30, completed packing, and were on the road at 6:30. We were traveling south on Interstate 83. Nothing much to see as we were driving down the highway. A few trees here and there, and a wide variety of fields that were thriving with crops.

Oakland, California, the city that people consider as one of the top five most dangerous cities in the United States. Growing up in the city next to it and having family there, I developed strong bonds to Oakland. I have always seen Oakland in the light for being outrageously diverse and being resilient. My first thoughts of Oakland never consisted of them of the city being dangerous or a bad place to live in. I knew that Oakland is dangerous but I have never experienced anything that made my outlook change. Despite a handful of my family living there and have experienced muggings, robbery and dealing of drugs, I still could not take in how unsafe Oakland is. However, just one incident changed my view of this city, 18 years of my life Oakland

I'm an established freelance writer based in San Diego covering environmental issues in the Southland and beyond. Although it's hard for me to

Throughout my short life in Southern California, I have encountered a multitude of different natural disasters, strange weather patterns and a shift in climate. There have been three distinct phases of my life in which the occurrence of all of these can be found.

I used to be the type of person that needed my life planned out; I needed a routine or a schedule. I was going on an amazing trip to Catalina Island with my closest friends. We had a plan; take a bus to LA and get on a boat that would take us to Catalina from there. When we arrived to LA the weather was so bad we couldn't get on the boat. We had to wait until the next day. Having to go off schedule we ended up making more memories, we went to a huge aquarium and spent the night on a boat. After that trip I realized things happen and you need to be willing to make the best of things or you will not have the opportunity for new experiences.

Over break my sisters and I went to Santa Cruz. We had rented a small house by the beach and spent much of our time just hanging out together watching movies on the couch. Every night we would turn on the electric fire. There was only one bedroom and the couch turned into a bed so I went and laid down by the fire, my water glass in hand. It was cold outside and the fire was just the right temperature. I laid there with a pillow, my back to the fire as I read a book on kindle and listened to music. After a while the heat from the fire become a bit stifling. I stayed there anyways because I was too tired to get up. Instead of moving away I decided to just have some of my water. It was after I had ended up drinking the whole glass that a perfect

Although the beautiful winters in Rochester already make the university cool, I, as a student, can make the school even cooler by being an active member in organizations and introducing Bay Area culture into the campus. I have lived most of my life in the Bay Area, during this time I have grown accustomed to the cultures from here. I plan to introduce the cultures and customs that originate in the Bay Area. Since they aren’t known over the country, these cultures only occur in the Bay Area. For example, the hyphy culture began to emerge in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a response from Bay Area rappers against commercial hip hop. However, this culture and movement wasn’t popularized anywhere else in the country. Consequently, this urban

For seventeen years of my life, San Fernando is all I have ever known. I have grown familiar with the faces I see on my walk to school and regular trips to the supermarket. The Hispanic culture is represented well in my city through the beautifully painted murals spread across the streets and the small stands that sit on the sidewalk distributing staple Mexican treats. Living in the same town my whole life makes me crave change and diversity. I know Brown will be the step I need to seize to quench my curiosity of what the rest of the world has to offer.

I’m from Tucson, Arizona; I’ve lived here my whole life. I travel to California every other year due to having family there. I have two young siblings, one is named Cole, he is one-year-old and the other is Koen, a 5-year-old. I dislike getting called on to speak in front of the class I get anxiety and feel like throwing up… My mom is a fourth grade teacher, I live with her, her boyfriend, who is a sheriff, and my two brothers. For hobbies, I listen to music, do puzzles, read, eat, play with my dogs and draw. As a student, my weaknesses are; test anxiety, time-restrictions, I procrastinate and I get distracted easily. However, last year a 504-plan was installed, so that’s taken care of. I’m inspired by Malala Yousafzai to continue school and

Shoutouts to the only person whom has bear with my weird-self for the past four years non stop. From civics and careers to accounting, our first time in greasy hull, our trip to NY, from going to hockey games that I don't understand and thirsty Thursdays. Thanks for always being there for me Jake, there's no one I would rather share a bottle of jagger with

    On one very boring summer's day, my brothers and I were watching television, and we were going to do anything fun all summer. My parents came home later, and  my dad told us to pack our clothes and swimsuits and hop in the car. “ We are going to California”! My dad said joyfully.

Last year around April, my cousin called and told us that she was getting married. Since weddings aren’t really my thing, I wasn’t excited for this wedding at all. It wasn’t until my mom mentioned tickets that I realized we were going to California. I was ecstatic. I told my friend about everything I wanted to do there, I planned our trip out day by day, and starting of thinking about what I needed to pack. You’re probably wondering why I was so excited about going to California, well, I have a few reasons why. Although we had just went to California in October, I was still overjoyed to see my family again. I only get to celebrate holidays with my mom, stepdad, sister, sister’s fiance, and brother. Everyone else in my family lives outside of Wisconsin, so when I get to see them it’s superb. So that’s one of my reasons for wanting to go to California- family. My second reason for wishing to go is that it’s my dream to live in California. My mom always tries to convince me that Wisconsin is better than California, and I don’t doubt that. Actually, I know Wisconsin is better than California, because it’s safer, cheaper, and calmer, but frankly I could care less about those things. I enjoy the rush of California, the people constantly moving, always going somewhere, never stopping to just take a breath and look around, always rushing from one place to another. That’s why I love California, even though it has its flaws.