Compromise

  Being the youngest of the family gave me the opportunity to do things no one has seen in my family, such as going away for college. Most of my family members went to CSU Sacramento since it was a short 20 minute drive at most. I didn't want to go there. I wanted to be different and chose my own path to follow. I come from strict parents which means I had to be by eleven pm on the weekends, being 18 years old didn’t matter. I have to follow my parent’s rules since I live under their roof. My parents didn’t get it. Why would I want to go to a school 3 hours away when I have a school 20 minutes away? I wanted to have the freshmen college experience. I wanted to go away to college, have a roommate, join a sorority, and have those nights that I don't fully remember. I wanted to grow as an individual and learn who I am without the burden of my parent’s on my back. I was trapped in a jail cell, what I like to call my house.

  My parents didn’t even want me to apply to CSUMB, but on the last day that I could apply, I grabbed my visa card and applied with my own money. I had to apply. I had to even see if I would be accepted. I felt like I was closing off the door to my future without even trying.  I did what I had to do. I applied even if that meant spending fifty five dollars with the risk of being accepted or denied.

Once I received the rejection letter saying that the space was limited, I accepted that I was meant to go to CSU Sacramento.  I knew that’s where I had to go so I accepted it. There was nothing I could do about it. Then…a few weeks later, I received my conditional acceptance.

  This is when my house turned into an emotional wreck. Emotions were flying from room to room.  My parents were angry and sad. I presented them with a PowerPoint with the housing options, class options, and price. Financially, this was a terrible decision. I knew my parents had the money to afford it but I also knew it was not going to be easy for them. After many nights of angry parents and a crying Diana, we made a compromise.

  My parent’s made up their decision to let me go to CSUMB but the conditions were: NO family vacation and NO trip to Disneyland. WHAT? No trip to Disneyland? This is just not an option for me.  I knew I wanted to go away for college, so I accepted it. I said no to Disneyland, it broke my heart. I knew that in the long run it would be a good decision.  That night, I paid the deposit for housing.

  Although it was a hard decision to make, I had to lose some to gain some.  My parents were not happy emotionally but they knew financially they would be able to make it. Know both my parents and I are happy with the decision I made.