Personal Narrative: From Suburb To Ghetto

From Suburb to Ghetto For the past ten years, I lived a very comfortable life in a wealthy area around Saratoga and Los Gatos. Everywhere there are big houses and sometimes mansions if you are in the mountains. Many kids everywhere have no real concern on the amount of money spent to get what they want. Because of this, many adults tell you to be wary and spend your money wisely and not act like other people spending their money as if it grows on trees. The day I went to college was when my perspective on money changed. The college I attended is in the city of Arcata and it is the complete opposite Saratoga and Los Gatos. To be honest, I never really thought how much money makes an impact in other peoples lives and the general area until I moved to Arcata to see for myself. Back in high school, nearly everyone was rich and it
plays an enormous part on how popular you are. How you know that they are rich is mainly how they dress.
Not popular street wear like Supreme, but basically dressing like a frat dude. Since I was at the bottom half in terms of how rich your family is, I mostly dressed a mix of both. For the most part, things like how rich you are never really bother me too much. All I cared about was not spending on items that I might consider useless later and dressing decently enough to get by. Compared to others, I probably spend very little money compared to others. While other people are showing off their brand new BMW in junior year, I did not even get a car until my freshman year in college and that it was a hand me down which was nearly as old as I am. Also, I never really cared about popularity because it was never an issue all throughout high school. Now back in college, most of the freshman class was from Los Angeles oddly enough considering how far up north Arcata was, but it changed my viewpoint on the way how money is spent and how much I have taken it for granted. It all changed once I met my roommates in person. Most of my roommates in the suite had a little bit money for school supplies and very were not
into anything tech related. One of my roommates was jealous that I had a Mac desktop in my room. As months go by into the school year, it turns out I knew the most about computers and little tricks with it here and there. It surprised me so much because almost everybody in the Bay Area knows those tricks already. Socially, the atmosphere was very different. I came from an area of tech and wealth while the most of my roommates came from poorer families and had others things to do not related with tech. Seeing this made me feel that I was one of those privileged college students who never has to deal with the issue of money. My parents paid for my tuition and I still have more money to spend while others whose tuition is also paid for do not have the freedom to freely spend theirs. One day, most of the people in the suite including me got into a really heated discussion about the genre of music we listen to and how much we care about the quality of sound. Most of them listened to rap while I was the only who listened electronic music. With rap, all they ever cared about was the volume being loud and having a ridiculously huge base. Speakers like that cost around fifty dollars. Everyone in the discussion was awed that one of my roommates was willing to spend that much money for speakers of that cost. I am the type of person who cared a lot about the small details in sound and not just having a big base. Proudly, I chimed in that I have portable Bose speakers, which may not be as loud, but it has superior sound. At first everyone else was really awed by my speakers until I told them that it cost around 200 dollars. It was then that the atmosphere completely changed and one of my roommates piped in, “Not everyone is rich like you Michael.” Someone saying that to me shocked me to be honest because I had no intention of showing off how rich I am. It was only to show how good my speakers were. In a way, it also shocked me by how willing I was to spend so much money without even thinking, just because I am very picky with sound quality. I’ll always remember my experiences and the way I felt at college. Before college, it bothered me sometimes that people richer than me always got what they wanted where ever and whenever only to realize that the spoiled lifestyle they live is what makes their life toxic. Some of my roommates try to get by with whatever amount of money they have left while I am constantly looking at other things to buy. Realizing the difficulty others have face, I now appreciate a great deal more that at least I have money to spend on a few things I want instead of being spoiled and buying everything I want. Now, I am more conscious on how I spend money and appreciate the fact that I have something rather than taking it for granted.