Assignment 20.2 Letter

To the parents who not only gave me life, but also have continued to make sure I stay
alive:

Hi Mum and D!

While I talk to both of you quite frequently I do not think I have ever properly
expressed my gratitude for your place in my life. One of the options for my consumer
behavior assignments addressed “gaining self-worth,” and instructed that I write a
letter to an individual that has helped me through college. However, it is evident
through the last six months that two people have prevented me from ripping out my
hair and hiding under my bed sheets until graduation rolled around.

Let’s start at the beginning:

The choice of all choices- what college do I attend.

D, I remember you telling me that I “could not leave the fifty mile radius for school,”
while Blooie intervened at every corner to persuade you to set me free from the

Northeast- about thirteen hours west to the dauntingly flat and college sport obsessed
state of Ohio. Going to college a whole region from where I grew up was one of the
best decisions I have made in my short twenty-one years, and I have both of you to
thank for allowing me to live so far away from home.

Now on my own, I had new choices to face- what would the bachelor’s in marketing I
would earn do for me, rather than just look nice framed on a wall? At this point I still

battled with my love for fashion and desire to enter the retail world, which as I
learned after two years, was not the path for me. Last semester was one of the
hardest times I have had in college, and I thank you for guiding me through the stress
and anxiety I was accumulating. I think I had more mental breakdowns in one semester
than I have ever had in my life as a whole. Besides thanking you for talking through
every occurrence of my meltdowns I also need to apologize for having you two worry

about me as much as you did.

When I decided that environmental sustainability was my life’s passion, I entered a
field that is new and filled with uncertainty- especially for parents with a daughter
that could not make up her mind about her future, and I know you two were worried

about me. But after some persuasion and research into the area, I was given full
support to follow my newly discovered dreams. Through all of the mental turmoil of

finding myself in college, you never gave up hope for my aspirations and success.

I was not only given emotional support but financial support as well, for I do not think
I have ever formally said thank you for paying all of undergraduate college bills, from

dorm life to the now pricey apartment I live in. Even when I lost part of my
scholarship you have continued to allow me to discover my own path in life, without the

worry of paying for it.

For the past two and a half years it may have seemed as if I did not take school as seriously as I
should have. While I entered college bright eyed and bushy tailed, hell bent on earing a high GPA, I

thought I had my future plans all figured out. For that first semester I put all my efforts into my
schoolwork and extracurricular activities. After that first semester I should have realized that I

was not thrilled with what I was doing in college, but because I am the type of person who keeps
saying that everything is fine until it no longer is, it took me another whole year to admit to myself

that business and retail were not my future. My grades suffered from this up until this point, and
while part of me cared very much about how I was performing in college, part of me frankly did

not. It is hard to admit, but it is easy to lose drive for something you do not enjoy, even when you
know that life does not always come so simple. You can now rest assure that I have never wanted

to succeed in college as much as I have with my newfound path this semester.

Lastly, I need to preemptively express my appreciation for your love and support of me in the
future. Just because I cannot know what the future holds does not mean that I do not know that
you both will be there for me. As someone who feels no attachment to where I grew up or went to

college, nothing is holding me back from traveling to any place that will propel my career in
sustainability. Wanting to go to California for graduate school has nothing to do with wanting to
continue to expand the distance between us, but rather my drive to follow that trail that will bring

me where I need to go.

I have said that I will not allow anything to hold me back and prevent me from pushing myself to
succeed in my field, and with that have no desire to date anyone while still at Ohio State. But in
reality, I already feel sadness from missing someone who I love dearly- and that is both of you. If
anything, you two are what are holding me back. Or let me rephrase, what was holding me back.
That feeling had nothing to do with a lack of love and support, but rather the close relationship we
have, and the family orientated section of my heart that wishes I could see you more- and traveling

to California seems as if it would enlarge that void in my heart.

However, recently you both expressed to me that I have to go wherever I need to in order to do
what is best for my future. I was actually terrified of hurting you feelings in expressing my

interest in attending graduate school on the West Coast. I am beyond thrilled that you are both
accepting of my decision (while not permanent yet).

So to the parents who not only gave me life, but also have continued to make sure I stay alive:
Thank you.

I love and miss you.