Personal Narrative: North Carolina

Even though I’ve eaten lobster rolls, sported L.L. Bean jackets, and cruised lighthouse-studded coastlines, I am anything but a New-Englander. Though this has been by 4th year in Massachusetts, I still feel like I’m still the new kid on the block, the midwestern girl who’s naive to the traditions and expectations of New England. But, I am comfortable here, a result of many challenges I had to face over the time I spent in Massachusetts. These challenges did not arise when I first moved out—I was very unhappy the first and second year—it was during Sophomore year, when I started to adapt and be happy, did challenges from home spring forth on me. These challenges were from the people that I had left, family, friends, and others who felt that

Now, I have moved all over the country, although this time was enormously different. I was there for four years and made some pretty talented friends forever and picked up skateboarding. I thought I was living life there it was the best.

Though I spent my entire life living in North Carolina I never thought of myself as a Southerner. My understanding of the Southern lifestyle was quite limited; there is an emphasis on family solidarity, and self-sufficiency with an agricultural backdrop that is part of their essence. The South is not simply a location, manners or customs it is a way of life. Hearing the childhood details of a favorite professor allowed me to envision a picture perfect life under the shade of a magnolia tree and little southern girl who grew up to be a Sandhills Community College professor, Mrs. Cole.

Well the week of our trip to Memphis Tennessee had finally arrived ! My colleagues Beverly,

June sixteenth two thousand and sixteen. There I was in my bed crying uncontrollably. I did not know whether I was crying over the fact that my mom was moving to North Carolina, or the fact that I am being forced to grow up in a matter of twelve hours. For seventeen years my hand has been held, and I have been led through life by my parents; I have never had to worry about the simple things like doing my laundry, making dinner, or driving myself where I needed to be. After all of the sacrifices my mom has made for my family the past eighteen years, it was her turn to put herself first. She was offered a promotion, and it was not my place to tell her to turn it down.

I moved to Connecticut in the September of 2008 because my Dad had a job transfer. This was around the time that I started the second grade. I was introduced to so many people and they were all so nice to me. Six years later, I made countless friends and started to feel like Connecticut was where I wanted to stay forever. But in December of 2014, my Dad got a phone call from a company in South Jersey and they wanted him to work for them. At first, he worked 3 days in Camden, and the rest of the week in Connecticut. That was difficult though because we did not get to see him as often as we wanted to. My parents then sat my brother and I down and asked us if we wanted to move to South Jersey. I did not know what to think. After six years, I loved living in Connecticut and I wanted to stay there. They told us that it would be a lot easier to move down to Jersey instead of my dad traveling every week. My brother and I both agreed that this is what we are going to have to do. I can still remember that day though. It seemed liked the world was going to a scorching end. At least my world was. I started to tell my friends that

When I was only four years old, my life changed forever. It was the year I moved to North Carolina. My dad’s friend got him a job opportunity that he simply couldn’t give up. So, he quit his job and found a nice rental house to live in. I had moved before but I don’t remember. I moved from Indiana to North Carolina with my brother my cat and my parents. When I moved to North Carolina, I was aware of what was happening, but I never realized how different everything would be. The house we moved into we only lived in for a year, but it was a pretty hectic year.

The greasy scent of cheap burgers and fries wafted into the car as we pulled into the parking lot of a Wendy’s, right in the heart of who-knows-where, East Tennessee. I couldn’t contain my excitement as I rushed my 12-year-old self out of the minivan and into the palace of grease. Clad in ratty sweatpants and a t-shirt with my hair pressed down from my prolonged use of headphones, it was evident that I spent long hours sitting in a car, asking “if we’re there yet” too many times to count. In this moment, however, carving up Snowshoe Mountain on my snowboard didn’t seem as exciting as the machine that stood across the room. Standing tall, shiny, and red, the Coca-Cola Freestyle soda fountains were in the early stages of being released, and

In recent days I had the opportunity to go back to North Carolina for a few short days. There, with a heavy heart from a loss in the family, I had nothing else to look towards. I’ve always heard of individuals finding peace, faith, blessings, and love of Christ from attending church. I’ve never been a person who put their faith into a higher power. As I was growing up my parents never wanted to force me into any religion without me knowing everything about it and choosing which route to take on my own. As the years treaded on, I never bothered myself to learn about the many different religions and what each stands for. So I used this opportunity as mine to attend church for the very first time. I attended the Roman Catholic services held

My exchange for South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics is a great one. The school receives a driven student determined for success and craving to be the change of the world. I get an amazing opportunity to boost off into success from one place created solely for students just like myself. I’ll have to give up a few hard things that I considered normal, but anything in this life worth having is worth the fight-well in my case, the sacrifice.

The cultural events in a person's life shape them into the person they are today. Throughout a person's life they experience events that change them culturally. These events can be either positive or negative. I went through a cultural experience when I went from Maine to Maryland.

Through a short path in the woods on a cool evening, I’m riding in a red wagon being pulled by my father. My two sisters little legs are racing down the path to the beach carrying roasting sticks and s’mores supplies. My mom’s concerned voice is yelling out, “Be careful!” as we make our way to the beach, the breeze inviting the smell of salt water to surround me.

Entry: Since hiking has been going on Ky and I have been getting closer to each other. I noticed one day he was making curvy shapes with his fingers in the dirt on the hill. I asked what he has doing and he said he was writing like people used to. People do not write anymore because they do not know how. All they know is how to type. Ever since that day Ky has been teaching me how to write. One that day I noticed when he was writing, he showed me how to write the letter C. At first I was not very good but I have been getting better, just not as well as Ky. About a week later Xander and I go on our first date with an Official monitoring our behavior. I wish the Official wouldn’t of gone because it would’ve given a chance for Xander and I to

Making my own life decisions means that I have a lot of freedom to do whatever I what and don’t have to ask my parents for anything except for guidance to my new career that I want to pursue. Decision making can bring great risks and

In 2016 I experienced a trip that made me feel the most alive. During June of 2016 I got the chance to fly to Pennsylvania for a week to visit friends and family. While visiting Pennsylvania, I got the chance to parachute out of a plane over the beautiful lands. During the time while preparing to jump out I had adrenaline running through my body; though, I did not know what to except. I will never forget the time I was asked if I was ready to jump. After jumping out, I experienced true meaning of what "feeling most alive" feels like in reality.