Undergraduate / UC Prompt #1 The key to my world [9]

Prompt #1 Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

My alternate reality is unlocked the instant my key reaches the ignition. The damp twigs and pine needles crackle beneath me as I delicately press on the gas. The small fraction of the sun deceives me into believing that it greets me the exact angle each morning. I remain punctual to my watch while the trickster grows hesitant to rise as the season progresses. There are no traffic reports, no pesky sales pitches, not even the catchy sounds of my playlist. The persistent mellow hum is all that is necessary to channel me into my realm.

Most who are familiar with this modest town would convince you it was lifeless. How is that so? I know for a fact that the chatty winter birds are nothing short of lively. On occasion they become so vocal that they agitate the austere birches. The cranky giants grow so peevish that they blast a heavy gust and shake their extended bony arms with contempt. My murky windows clear up and I encounter two companions at seven gables farm. In a green chipped barn lives an ivy maned horse who habitually sticks her head out the framework. An exhausted border collie rests beside her for security. Today they do not sleep, but bask in silence with eyes agape and one mutual desire. When will master bring breakfast?

I suddenly become entranced. The road lying in front of me acts as a nexus from the concrete world to a vision controlled by my own fabrications. Rather than travelling down School Street, I am steering on a super highway to my future. "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."

My destiny is bright, not only figuratively but literally. Colossal towers pierce and illuminate the horizon. The chatter surrounding me is no longer of Mother Nature but of a variety of zooming people. Languages unknown to me tickle my ears. A man with a freshly tailored suit and daily newspaper marches to his office. Similarly, a woman barks on her mobile phone while running to her law firm. This omnipresent sense of purpose excites me as I pace with the commuting parade. Where do I fit into this mold? I am the young woman in the pale blue scrubs who is fresh out of med school. I stride down the block latching onto a few textbooks and a stethoscope conveniently placed at my neck. The moment my hand reaches the intimidating superstructure where my residency will be held, my bubble bursts.

Innocence is preserved within the nature of my New England home. Consequently, my childhood was pure and simple. Adulthood unfolds before my eyes and I am ready to tackle the bittersweet reality of urban life. Raw nature fulfilled my keen imagination whereas the city can assist my ambitions. After a car ride filled with pleasant site seeing and a stimulating mind trip, I finally arrive to my destination. The harsh reality does not seem harsh at all when I look at my High School and see that my dream starts here.