Going to California
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I was sitting in class shaking — literally my hands were shaking — with excitement in my seat.
A few minutes before my professor told me something that I couldn’t get out of my head.
“Ok, let’s take a five minute break,” is something I was used to Dr. Keeler saying during our two-hour TV & Film Aesthetics class at Marquette University.
Usually, the comfortability of my seat and the warmth of my jacket around my shoulders won’t allow me to get up, but that day I did.
It’s my last class of the day. One more hour and I can go and eat dinner.
“Did you read the email?”
Dr. Keeler asks as she approaches me in the hallway.
I immediately assume I’ve missed the due date on an assignment.
“No, sorry, what was it about?” I respond hesitantly awaiting her face full of disappointment.
She smiles. Takes a sip of her water bottle.
“It’s about the L.A. trip. You got it.”
Cue my shaky hands.
Part of me wishes I hadn’t found out during class. I’m not sure what we learned that day. My brain could only hold one thought L.A. L.A. L.A.
Wait, like California?
I’ve never been.
I thought I’d only vacation there.
Since coming to the Diederich College of Comm from Minnesota, I’ve had experiences that have helped me get out of my comfort zone, like improv comedy or spoken word.
But this was different.
I had to tell my mom, but my mother was at work. I wouldn't tell her via text — call me old fashioned — but I desperately needed to tell another living, breathing, in person, face-to-face, human — my boyfriend!
I call him. Ask if I can come over. Get to his place and immediately…wait to tell him. His face looked worried. It wasn’t on purpose.
I didn’t know how to tell him this amazing, blessing-of-a-thing that has happened to me. He’s asking if everything’s alright. And I’ve got nothing. Just blank stares, crooked smiles and shaky hands…as if I had just run into President Obama on the street. Eventually it just falls out of me.
“I got it. I got into the program.”
It wasn’t even a shock to him.
“I knew you would. Congratulations. Let’s celebrate,” were the only words he said.
And with that the shaking finally stopped.
I settled into my reality and trusted that I was going to be a part of something incredible.
Later that night I called my mom. She didn’t believe me at first. An opportunity like this always seemed idealic never tangible. It wasn’t long before her doubts went away. She even started looking for her own plane ticket to L.A. You’re not coming with mom, but I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.
Now, I leave this weekend.
