So I mentioned to my mom last night my plans with City Year. I didn’t even mention it was my number one plan. Nor did I mention the fact that I had been seriously considering LA and Seattle just a few weeks/months prior and that she was pretty lucky I switched to New Hampshire.

She wasn’t thrilled. New Hampshire’s so far away.You can’t commute, can you? No, it’s too far. What are you supposed to do- live there? When am I going to see you? How are you going to afford that? yadda yadda….

Thank you for caring. Thanks for wanting to see me and all. But this is my decision. I’m nearly 22 years old. This is a decision I’d like to make for myself. I know you’re just concerned, But I don’t want to move home. I love you but I feel confined there, is all. I need my space, and it’s time to move on.

Hopefully, you’ll come around. I know you will. But it would be nice to be supported in something like that. 5 years ago

WHen I was having a lovely dinner at my former professoer’s house last week, “I’m on my own terms” came out from her.
It was first time for me hear such expression, and I felt that it’s different from “being who I am” which I have been programmed to act by media and social pressure.
This expression stuck in my head since then, and I have been feeling the urge to dig the real meaning of it and how to apply this to my life. 23 months ago