It all began when I came to Auburn as a transfer student in the Spring of 2020. I left behind my home state, my home school, and my whole family.

This is the story of me going places.

I grew up in the heart of California, in the small-ish town of Turlock. It’s not all that different from Auburn actually. In addition to the beautiful sights and attractions you can find in California, you can also find the entirety of my family. My family is very close, which is typical of Portuguese immigrant households like mine. Long story short, I decided to leave everything and everyone I ever knew and loved behind.

The idea to leave everything behind came after spending some time at my first college. Fresh out of Turlock High School, I decided to go to San Jose State University, a state school located in the heart of the Bay Area in California. I thought, if I went to SJSU, I would be near plenty of jobs, have beautiful weather, be far enough from home, and be able to keep my high school relationship. What could possibly go wrong? 

Well, San Jose State turned out to be a “commuter school” which wasn’t fun for me, because I had moved there from Turlock, a solid 90 miles away. A commuter school is a college where most students commute to school rather than living on or near campus. After my first year, I wasn’t happy with the school, my life outside of school, or any of it. Honestly, it was a struggle, and I didn’t know what to do or what to think; I had never felt like this before. I didn’t know what I could do to make myself feel better and just get back to normal. The only thing I did know was that I always wanted to travel and live in other parts of the U.S and the world ever since I was young. So, once I realized I didn’t enjoy this school and there were no longer any other reasons to stay close by, why not leave? 

That night I looked up transfer applications for different schools and found Auburn. The transfer deadline was the next day, so I threw my application together and sent it in— what’s the worst that could happen? I didn’t know anyone from Auburn, and it seemed like the polar opposite of San Jose State. I was accepted into Auburn about two weeks later. It was now mid-October and I had decided I wanted to move across the country in two months. All I had to do was convince my parents, or at least try to. It slowly became more and more clear to them that I was really thinking about transferring, and they ended up supporting me fully. I didn’t really know what to say or if they were going to be okay with it, but it turns out I just got really lucky with my parents. My family was shocked, turns out there are a lot of stereotypes about Alabama, but I see now that it goes both ways. Nobody, I included, knew what it was like in Alabama. We only know what we see and hear on social media. Ultimately, I would just have to find out for myself!

It finally dawned on me what I was doing when it came time to leave home. I had spent days packing and deciding on what I would take and leave behind. I never thought I would have this problem. I also didn’t think about how long the drive was actually going to be. Luckily, after about thirty-five hours of driving over three days, I had finally made it to The Loveliest Village on the Plains. 

Soon, I would move into my apartment, attend classes, and start eating every new and delicious “southern” food I could find. However, shortly after that, a global pandemic sent me right back to where I came from.

This has been my journey getting to Auburn. Although my journey getting here is complete, my story in Auburn continues to develop every day. This is also true for my personal story, and the same is true for you. A year ago, I would have never ever thought that I’d be where I am today— not just because I feel happy and myself again, but because I am telling you about it, hoping it may help you in some way. 

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Jacob L.