NaBloPoMo March 06 Prompt

NaBloPoMo Prompt #4
What is the riskiest thing you've ever done? How did it turn out?

The riskiest thing I've ever done is probably going to college on the other side of the country. I'd never really been alone like that before. Every time I'd traveled before that, it was only for a short time and it was with family, church, or school. This was to live and it was by myself. Plus, I was going to the south so I had to learn to live in a different culture as well. It's weird to say that you had to learn a new culture when you stayed in the same country but its very true. Even on a university campus it was very obvious.

It started out great. I usually adjust very easily to new environments. It was a way of starting over after middle school and high school had been so tumultuous. I actually found peace and confidence. I even made the Dean's List! I am still very proud of that. School had been pretty difficult for me for quite a few years at that point so this was a major achievement.

Things went downhill because this is where I met the guy who ended up being my first abusive relationship. On top of that, there was an announcement in my hometown newspaper about my making the Dean's List. I asked my parents to buy that newspaper so that I could put that announcement in my scrapbook. Like I said, I'm very proud of that. My parents however decided that they didn't feel like getting that newspaper for me. I'm not sure if it was too much money or too much work, what ever their reason they decided it wasn't important. Having my parents ignore what was a big achievement for me was a huge blow. It was just reinforcement that my achievements weren't important to them, this wasn't the first time they did something like that. So, between that and the abusive relationship, my life went downhill after that.

Still, I learned so much about myself through that experience. Looking back, I can see the reasons I was able to find peace and confidence and I have some ideas on how I can achieve that again. I also get to say that I made the Dean's List. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about that. It's a big accomplishment and one that I will always be proud of. So in the end, that risk turned out really well.