Glad to be Back in Tempe

By Trevor Pacelli

I now begin my spring semester here at Arizona State University, after getting back from my winter break visit with my parents in Seattle. What's interesting was that while I was there, the experience of being back in my home state wasn't quite the same.

---

I was familiar with everything there, and I felt like I had my old life back, with the same home, the same church, the same people, the same street areas, and the same weather. I in a sense felt like I was a student at Bellevue College again, because I was back in that environment. But even though I was in a familiar place, I still felt a bit out of place. Why was this so?

It wasn't my life anymore. I already established a life for myself in Tempe, Arizona, where I have my own home, eating plan, community, and independence. I spent 4 and a half months living differently than when I was in Bellevue, and I grew accustomed to the sunnier climate. My feelings for this started the instant my plane arrived in Seattle, when I saw the dense clouds that blocked the view of the sun. I have seen very few cloudy days in the past several months, so seeing these clouds told me that this experience was not going to be how I imagined it.

And so it was: I started hating the overcast, cloudy weather of Seattle and above all wanted to go back to Tempe. By the time New Years had passed, I told my parents that I was ready to leave. Then after nine more days in the cold air of Bellevue, I was finally at the airport to return to Phoenix. I was so glad and relieved to be in the sun again, and when I say that, I mean it. As much as I love being around my parents, I would much rather be out on my own (which is good, because my parents said they want the same thing!) and doing what I want for myself.

As for this coming semester, I have already set plans to increase book sales including applying to speak at libraries and Autism clinics to educate others about people who are on the spectrum. In addition, I will be attending courses on ASL, New Media, Screenwriting, Race and Gender, and the lives of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. All in all, I'm excited to see where I end up by the end of this semester.