Today, March 29 2019, I have found what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. My whole life I have been told, I need to go to college, I need to become successful, get a job and grow up; as most of us are told. But I never really understood it, I didn’t see why I needed to go to college or what was success, that is until today.

Now let me give you some background. My name is Brandon G. I grew up in a very low middle class family, My mother was a single mother who worked day and night to support me since she was 18. I was alone growing up, never had friends not really any companions, I grew depressed due to many reasons happening at that time of my life and contemplated suicide, that is till I was introduced to Choir, and it changed my life forever giving me an escape from my problems and things seemed to lighted up from there, my mom found a husband and now we live comfortably in Hemet, CA. Now you may be wondering why the background, it’s not to gain sympathy nor make you see me any different, my past doesn’t define the person I am today, it’s simply to inform how I found myself apart of the choir family; now coming back to today.

It’s my first real College trip, sure I’ve been to some for AVID in middle school but that was just a tour and walk around, but today, I have seen two colleges, University of Redlands and Cal State Long Beach. This trip wasn’t for any AVID either, it was for Choir and might I say I was astound.

My original ideas for my life was still undetermined I’ve thought into psychology heavily or law, and yes I loved to be in choir but, I was always told to go with what was “successful” and a “better likelihood” of making money. “Always have a fall back plan” they told me. Neither of them went to College, and neither of them took the chances to pursue what they enjoyed due to fear. I like to think that’s why when they think of college they think of layer, doctor, or business person, and not music majors or conducting; and when I mention music they hammered me down on a back up plan because they didn’t see college as a place to pursue that and make a salable living, and I believed them, for years.

Quoting my hairstylist from two days ago, “Do what makes you happy in the end, or you’ll just be slaving away at a job you don’t enjoy” what she said has been playing on loop in my head for this whole day. Hearing the stories of these college students, getting music degrees, hearing them preform, and listening to all the opportunities that comes with it, I now know, what my definition of  success is, and it isn’t the money you make, nor the “American dream job” being successful is simply doing what you love. And what I love is working in music, and thanks to today I know not only the major I want to due, but the college I was to strive for, and that’s Cal State Long Beach, and I have slipped this year in grades, will it taint my chances, yes but now seeing the importance and opportunities of college first hand, I will do everything I can to follow my own dream.