Undergraduate /
'outgrown my hometown' - UChicago Lichtenberg Essay [2]
Please, rip this to shreds.
Prompt:
The late-eighteenth-century popular philosopher and cultural critic George Lichtenberg wrote, "Just as we outgrow a pair of trousers, we outgrow acquaintances, libraries, principles, etc. at times before they're worn out and at times-and this is worst of all-before we have new ones." Write an essay about something you have outgrown, perhaps before you had a replacement-a friend, a political philosophy, a favorite author, or anything that has had an influence on you. What, if anything, has taken its place?Essay:
It's natural for people to "outgrow" the places where they've grown up; there is a certain charm in fantasizing about clearing out and starting fresh elsewhere - some may think they'll be happier with a change of scenery while others just want to try escaping their troubles - but we understand a clear distinction between fact and fancy for a reason. Unfortunately, many don't consider this scenario seriously, and when the opportunity presents (or, in my case, forces) itself, those less prepared try to take back the things they said about wanting to leave behind their family and friends because that can be one of the most difficult things they'll ever have to do in life. As for me, I had outgrown my hometown long before I was ready to leave, and even longer before my "replacement" was ready, but moving on at such a young age can be no easy task; the effects relocating have had on my character over the years have been profound, and it is my sincere belief that the universe has propelled me across the continent to contribute to who I am and what I stand for today.
I still remember very clearly the discussion I had with a middle school friend about our mutual desire to move away from Kansas (which, as I have recently discovered, is actually flatter than a pancake, so you can imagine part of why we'd want to split). Wichita is by no means a rural city, but I always dreamed of something bigger, so it was a real thrill to hear my mother had a job offering in Cincinnati, Ohio near the start of my eighth grade year. I passed through the months ecstatic about the prospect of living in one of the country's larger cities as my mother went to and fro from interview to interview, but then the unthinkable happened: my mother decided to take a job offer in Huntington, West Virginia instead - certainly not most people's dream residence, particularly mine. I can't quite recall the events leading up to this decision, but upon hearing the news, the realization hit me that I was not primed for a move halfway across the country; I had to leave behind all of the comforts of home and shift into a situation where I was completely out of my element.
To this day, I still feel a twinge of bitterness toward my mother about having been forced to spend two years of my life in West Virginia - she doesn't blame me - but the experience was not entirely fruitless. I recall passing the summer before my first year of high school worrying about how I was going to make new friends because I was a complete wallflower: I often had trouble introducing myself to new people and could never come up with anything I found interesting to say, so I sat in silence and waited for anyone else to talk. I was hurled amidst the "Southern charm" of these people and they forced me to speak, even when I felt I had nothing to say, thus beginning an important transformation for which I am still grateful. Unfortunately, I quickly outgrew life in rural America and was set to move on to bigger and better things; this time I was ready and eagerly waiting.
Salvation came in the form of Missoula, Montana, a fair-sized city set in western Montana, and I embraced the opportunity with open arms after having gotten over the initial shock of yet again having to leave behind new friends and a rare teacher who greatly influenced my life's direction. It still wasn't the location I was hoping for, but the liberal population in an environmentally friendly setting was definitely a step up. When I arrived, I still struggled with being more social, but I was prepared and knew what to expect starting at a new school, so integration was made easier the second time around. One year later, I'm now more open than I have ever been before (though I still have some work to do) when meeting new people and trying new things, and I've taken on supporting multiple social issues in which I held no interest beforehand.
I have lived in Missoula for a little under two years, and for now, it is the one place I feel truly comfortable calling home. I've made unforgettable friends, gotten my first job, and grown considerably both physically and emotionally in the time I've spent out of Kansas, and one can't help but wonder if I would still be the quiet, distant person I used to be had I not been forced out of my comfort zone in the first place. There are times when I still feel homesick and miss old friends, but this only further serves Lichtenberg's idea that we outgrow things "at times before they're worn out and at times - and this is worst of all - before we have new ones": I still feel I have "outgrown" my old states before I was ready to go and before I had "new ones," but the opportunities which have been presented to me over the past four years have been worth the agony of leaving behind old ways.
I don't feel I stuck to the prompt well enough, but I want outside opinions. I'm iffy about the closing lines, too. Thanks! I appreciate any and all constructive criticism!
