Growing up in an Italian household, family has been a big part of my life. There are many of us, since my Dad is one of five and my Mom is one of three, and all of their siblings have kids. Therefore, family functions are an explosion of cousins, and I know not only all of my first cousins, but all of my second and third as well. It goes without saying that I have a big family. This massive amount of people gets together often and the parties are never-ending and insane. A bunch of loud, noisy and hyper Italians mixed with a bunch of quiet, emotional, Welshmen, who tend to share a too much about bodily functions at the dinner table, all thrown into one space. Chaos is the only way to describe this situation, and retreating to a quiet room at the end of the night seems like the only relief. On top of all these family get-togethers, everyone ended up living in Chicago land, so we tend to get random family members just dropping by for a visit on regular occasions. When this occurs the nosey side of the family comes out. Everyone must be called when one of the cousins has a new boyfriend or girlfriend, we all have been raised to compare our every accomplishment with the other family members such as ACT scores, which I got the highest of, thankfully, and the word private or personal does not exist to my grandfather. Understandably, I am ready to get away from the madness.
When applying for college, finding a school that was close to home and this family of insanity was the last thing that crossed my mind. I was ready to leave and go far, far away. I wanted to get away from my parents, my cousins, and grandparents, all of the people that had driven me crazy all my life, and be my own person. I wasn’t looking at schools to specifically get away from home; it was just an added benefit. So when Auburn rose to the top of my list, Alabama seemed perfect. It was a flight away, so no one could drop in for surprise visits, or come down to meet my friends whenever they wanted, and I could actually keep some of my life to myself. It was my dream school, and my dream situation, therefore in the first weeks of January I committed to Auburn University.
As the weeks disappeared, and the date of my departure comes nearer, my opinion has begun to change. I have started to realize how important my family is to me, and how blessed I have been to be so close to them. Those family parties I talked about with such negativity, I loved every moment of them and counted down the days until each one. I do not know who I would be if my cousin and best friend, Savanna, did not live twenty minutes from me and I could go see her whenever I wanted. My cousin Amy and her husband Derek have been my older siblings and have always been there for me when my own parents were driving me crazy. Their children Derek Jr., Alyse, and my godson Mason have been a big part of my life and cheer me up every time I see them. My nosey Grandpa Davide, or as I call him Baba, has been the biggest inspiration for me, and without him I would not be continuing to pursue the career path I have chosen. Lastly, my own parents have been so supportive, caring, and inspirational. They have made me who I am, shaping me to be the best I can, to work hard, to be honest, and do everything in my power to help others. My mom has shown me how to be active in the community and truly help those less fortunate then us, while raising a family and working part-time. My dad has taught me perseverance and the importance of working hard; he has given me the drive to accomplish anything I set my heart on. This is my family. This is who I am, and a big part of whom I will be. They have been there for me through thick and thin, they have taught me about life and how to fight back, and they have given me the support and means to accomplish everything I have today. The amount of time I have left with them gets shorter, and the weeks will turn into days and then I will be a flight away from the people I need the most. I never thought I would look at college and be scared or sad but moving away from my family has made me that way. Next year is going to be a new experience, and although I am going to a flight away, I know my family will always be there on the other line, and knowing them they may just drop down for a visit.