Nostalgia, warm yet painful, reassuring but distant. The ability to relive moments over and over again has always given me a comfort. I am sentimental, tending to hold onto the past, intimidated by the various paths of the future. I’ve had my phone camera out for a good portion of high school. An astounding 20,000 videos and photos take up the majority of my phone storage. Endless video collages and photo dumps dominate my social media. Several times a week I find myself reminiscing, whether through scrolling through my phone or through my thoughts. I’m ready to let go.

The idea of romanticizing one’s life has always stuck with me, making the best of the most mundane moments and finding contentment. Something as simple as a walk to the downtown thrift store can be elevated so quickly with the switch of a mindset. I have divided my life into eras; forever changing the pace of life keeps me from rotting in my small town.

Growing up in a small town is a huge part of my identity, though it has its setbacks such as nothing to do, little diversity, and scarce educational opportunities. Everyone around me has this small minded mentality “I can’t do that or move there because I’m from a small town.” One thing about me is I’m not letting others’ hopelessness get to me. I’m going to break the cycle and move on to do great things. I’ve come to terms that I get to decide, though I’m not in the ideal place. I am going to have the best little adventure growing up in a town of 5,000.

My go-getter spirit has led me to have some incredible memories but has taught me valuable lessons. From forming lifelong connections in the community through volunteering, taking leadership positions in various clubs, to being the first out of my friend group to get a job, I have completely utilized my home. All of course captured and able to be replayed at any time, so I can remember where I have come from. I love that I have my progress tracked, like a digital story line I can follow whenever. 

Though sometimes I get caught up in how time has passed, I am still very much focused on my future. One thing I can guarantee is that the right choice is deciding that my next home is somewhere in Pittsburgh. Can’t wait to document it all.