I've decided to post some writings I've done for a class of mine for extra credit. However, I feel that others can learn from my experiences. I can't think of a more appropriate medium for these kinds of writings. Here is one example for folks to read:------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There have been several episodes of my life in which I have faced the unfamiliar. I will describe one particular episode and how I learned to cope with it. I will start with the day I moved out of my parents' house. I left home on January 7, 2002. It was not an easy thing to do. However, I had grown tired of dealing with my parents and I felt that I needed to get out and find myself in this world. It didn't happen overnight though. I decided to look for my own place shortly after I landed a job at Farrell Distributing in South Burlington. I grew up in Swanton, VT. It's a small town about 5 or 10 minutes from the Canadian border. After high school, I lived with my parents to save money and I worked full time. When I got the job in South Burlington, I started to think about how much easier it would be to move there and be closer to my job. My parents didn't approve of it at first and I scrapped my first efforts to find a place of my own so I could continue to save money. Not too long afterwards, I started hunting for an apartment again. I found one that I liked and I could afford. The best part was that it was only a short walk to work. I liked this but my parents were still not convinced. I feel that they were very worried about me being out in the world all by myself. I am Deaf and I think that explains their behavior. They were always overprotective but with good intentions. I worked with my father to find money for my own place and he co-signed my lease. I moved out on January 7, 2002. It was a very uneasy day for me. Very emotional but at the same time, it was gratifying. After my father and brother had left, I was confronted with nothing but silence. In reality, I was giddy with joy that I had my own place. At the same time, I felt homesick. Over the next few weeks, I slowly learned how to live on my own and take care of myself. The road was full of plenty of bumps and I had to try and navigate each bump carefully and hope that I'd come out unscathed. I had to set up my own phone, set up my cable and learn how to pay rent on time each month. I had to do my dishes, wash my clothes and keep my place clean. It wasn't easy back then and even now, it can still be a challenge. I think that when I moved out, it had a dramatic impact on my family and friends in general. I know that my parents never saw our relationship the same way once I moved out. They were supportive as much as they could be though. They helped me out when I had trouble with my rent or bills for the first few months. However, I knew that they would never be the same once this episode unfolded. However, since I first moved out,t they've gained newfound respect for me and who I've become on my own. I know that they're proud of me and nothing will change that. I knew that things could not stay the same forever and that I had to put my foot forward and make an effort to change my life to steer in the direction I wanted to go. As for my friends, I met a couple of new friends through work and social groups. However, most of my close friends either moved away or stopped talking altogether. I believe they saw me as a radically different person because I was no longer in a school or dorm setting. I think that some of them couldn't handle me and thus, they disappeared from my life. I learned to just forge ahead, be myself and see what I could do on my own. The way I respond to the unknown is unique. I acknowledge when things are tough but I face them head on like a bull. People see that in me and it either turns them off or it fascinates them. My parents know that I'm a stubborn person and I won't ever let something stop me from getting what I want. It builds character to face things head on rather than indirectly. If I could change how I handled this period of my life, I would probably pick a better apartment to live in and I would try harder to keep people close to me, although sometimes there's nothing I can do about it. I would try to be wiser with how I deal with my finances as well so I would not have debt. If I could change things, I would have a closer relationship with my parents. I feel that I put a lot of strain on them and our relationship by moving here to be on my own. However, wounds heal with time and they've learned to accept who I've become. They are not the kind of people that like to move to unfamiliar places or do unfamiliar things. I think that contrast makes communication difficult sometimes. However, I wouldn't change a damn thing about moving out on my own. I had something to prove and I went out and proved it. I continue to prove it every single day. I feel that I am an example of what a person can do when they put their mind to things and never give in.