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Monday, December 9, 2013

"Untitled" by Seohyun J


November 26, 2013
The week college applications are due.
Approximately 7:25pm
Dinnertime
Dining table

“You’re so selfish,” my father declared as he looked directly at me while I immediately looked down at my dinner to avoid any eye contact, “After all we’ve done for you, why can’t you do this one single thing for your parents?”

I was taken aback from what my father just told me.
I started to hurt on the inside.

What my father had told me lingered in my thoughts, and what he said repeated itself like a broken record player until my he sighed and continued on with what he had to say, “Why won’t you apply for that college?”
“I don’t want to apply for that college.” I replied.

The thing was I had already finished applying for the colleges I was interested in at the time and submitted my applications towards the beginning of the month so that I could be in a somewhat stress free situation for the remainder of my first semester of senior year.
Plus, I believe that if you choose a major, you can benefit from any college that you attend since it’s all up to you to make good use of your major to benefit in life by getting into an occupation that would make you happy.

In unison, both of my parents, my mother being on the couch of the living room a couple steps away from the dining room, exclaimed, “WHY WOULDN’T YOU WANT TO?!” Their tone was bitter and harsh as if my decision was wrong, almost as if it was a sin. Thus, I replied in a nonchalant tone, “Because I don’t want to. Why should I? It’s a waste of money if I don’t even want to go to that college.”

I’m pretty sure they wanted a better answer than that..

I tensed up as I heard my mother’s “rage” breathing, it’s a thing where she takes intense breaths of air. It’s a mixture of her sounding like she’s having a stroke or having trouble breathing, it’s one of the scariest things I hear in my life and it started when my older brother applied for colleges. I used to judge my brother for being careless and not respecting our parent’s wants to apply for specific colleges. However, he went around to applying to the colleges our parents wanted him to go to.

It’s my turn now.
Great.

“Don’t worry about the money,” my mother said, “and just apply for the college because you never know if you will get in!” I couldn’t differentiate whether or not she told me this to get my hopes up or to make her feel better.
Yet, I knew. We all knew deep inside. I knew I won’t be able to get into the college my parents ever-so-wonderfully dreams of me attending in the future. It reflects from the grades and scores I received all throughout high school. If I did get in, that would have be a miracle. Miracles only come once in a lifetime, though. I don’t want my miracle to be this, especially the way I’m being treated for it.
So I stressed what I said next, “I don’t want to. Why does it matter so much that I apply for that college? I’m happy with the places I applied for, aren’t you guys?”

Did I mention the word stressed?
Yeah, it seems to be that my stressing of what I had to say to my parents stressed my mother out to a whole other level.

Lovely.

My mother began to yell at me out of frustration that things weren’t going the way she intended my responses to be, “THERE IS A SET CLASS DIFFERENCE. THE COLLEGE WE WANT YOU TO APPLY FOR IS TEN TIMES BETTER THAN ALL OF THE COLLEGES YOU APPLIED FOR ADDED TOGETHER!”
My father added, observing how the situation has taken route, “Do you like seeing us like this? What’s the real reason that’s holding you back?”

That’s when the tears started rolling down.
He wanted me to say it.
He wanted me to confirm it.
I was a failure to them as a daughter.

At that moment, we all stayed silent for a minute.
I had a flashback of a memory.

I’m the type of child who’s extremely clingy towards her parents.
I always ask my mother, “Mum, do you love me?”
And she would always respond, “Yes, of course.”
Then I would ask, “How much do you love me?”
Then she would reply back, “The distance from Earth to the heavens would equal the amount of love I have for you.”

Once college application season came along, I continued to ask her what I always asked her. But at the end of her last reply, I asked her more questions.

26 comments:

  1. this was very well said I really like how you started it out
    -Sabrina Espinoza
    period 6

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  2. College applications are a stressful time for any student, especially when your parents are breathing down your back! I understand your frustration when your parents want you to do one thing and you want to do another. When it comes down to the end, your choice will affect you. You will be the one spending four years at the college, not your parents. Yes, it is simpler if both your parents and you decide on a college that you both love, but we do not live in an utopian society where such things occur! I think many students are placed in similar situations to your own and it is important for us to make our decisions based on what will be most beneficial to us while still being respectful to our parents. Tough balance!

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  3. .... this story was just kind of sad a painful to read, but not in a pitiful way, of course. It was sad and painful in the fact that you wrote it in such a manner that the reader/audience feels as if they're put in your position.
    I love and found it super creative how you made shifts within the story so as to allow the readers to distinguish the difference between what's currently happening, and your "stream of consciousness" at that moment, which also helps in allowing the reader/audience to be in your footsteps, so as to allow the readers know you on a more personal level, did I mention that I love that?
    I like how you ended with the flashback of your memory, after you stated it, rather than ending it with "flashback of a memory".
    Altogether, your story was really good. It flowed super well, and I also loved your diction and style!

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  4. I find this type of situation regarding school and college to be extremely common in Asian families, is this a culture based kind of thing? I too had similar issues with this college business, but fortunately for me, they stopped after I persisted that I want to do certain things in certain ways. However, they gave me one simple advise: "Do what you think is best for you." They have stopped nagging me about this college stuff and are leaving all of the decisions for me to decide. They've finally cleared their minds and remembered that I will, and must be independent one day, and they can't, and won't be able to control my entire life. So in the future, live by what you think is best for you. Good luck, and great job narrating your story!

    -Ben Chang

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  5. I loved your story Joy. It helped me glimpse into who the real Joy is. I felt like I wanted to save you and at the same time I feel as though I am to myself like how your parents are to you. The stress of college applications will hopefully soon pass and it is a comfort to know that you cannot always please everybody. That is a fact of life and it takes a great deal of pressure off. The best we can do is work for ourselves and do what serves to our own best interest because we are the ones who live with the consequences. I wish you the best of luck with everything and I hope that your parents and you can see how truly special you are.

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  6. Dear Joy,
    This was really heartbreaking to read. Now I know the reason behind (or at least a part of it) why you've been looking so stressed out recently. As wrong as it might sound in your current situation, but.. your parents do mean well for you. I see why they might pressure you into doing something you believe so strongly against, but it's because they see you as a wonderful individual who can get far in her life. Don't you ever say that you're a failure. School and grades don't define who you are. You're Seohyun Jeon, the girl I've known for years and years. Your name "Joy" is a perfect name for you because not only are you a big bundle of happiness, but because you bring others, including me, happiness.
    Regarding your statement of miracles only happening once in a life time... I don't know, Joy. It was a miracle that you were born, it's a miracle that I met you, and it's a miracle that we're friends.
    Thanks for being brave to share such a personal story. Keep your chin up! Don't ever forget that you have limitless potentials into paving your path!

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  7. Joy, thank you for putting yourself out there, I really felt the raw emotion throughout this piece. You described both you and your parents' frustration really well. I totally get the whole strict-Asian-parent thing, but hey, its cause we're always going to be their little babies that they want the best for right!? As painful as it is to grow up and deviate from what your parents want, you know your mom's answer will always be the same. :)

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  8. "Miracles only come once in a lifetime, though. I don’t want my miracle to be this..." I absolutely love this line and it spoke to me on an emotional level. This piece hit close to home and I loved the emotion you expressed. Be strong and know that your parents will always love you even if they don't approve of your decisions. -Emily Wilt

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  9. This was relatable I so many ways, my parents and I had the same conversation and I know how it feels. Its great you put this story out there so the people who have experience the same "speech" will understand that they are not the only ones. Its a scary thing growing up and your personal story shows a single glimpse of what we have to face as we get older and older. Keep your head up, you will do great things, but there will be bumps along the road and this is just one of them.

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  10. Joy I love this! It's very emotional, and it gives us a chance to see what you have gone through. I also love how real it feels, it's not one of those stories that are jumbled together in the last minute. You put a lot of thought into this piece, and it paid off :)

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  11. I can honestly agree to this. My dad kept pressuring me to apply to a college I really didn't want to go to. I also started to get emotional each time because I could never understand why he didn't see things from my view. I think as parents they have to understand that they raised good kids that have to eventually make decisions for themselves even if they don't like them. I really liked your piece because I'm sure many of us can relate to this exact situation.

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  12. Your use of dialogue allowed me to relate to your piece because my parents actually somewhat did the same thing to me. My parents really wanted me to apply to a college I wasn't interested in attending but they were persistent in trying to convince me to go. I understand how you felt stressed & pressured during the application deadlines because that how I felt too!

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  13. Your story is very personal not only to you but to many others. I lover how it gave the audience a look into how someone actually sees life and not just the facade that everyone puts up within society. Your piece was truly inspiring

    Marcopolo Anzora

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  14. Joy, this piece made my heart break for you. College applications are stressful enough as it is, I cannot imagine adding upset parents to the mix. Ultimately, our parents just want what is best for us, but at times it is hard to see it. My only advice is that you try to talk with your parents and explain what's on your heart. Hang in there, college applications will be long gone in just a few months!!

    Christina Tapia

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  15. Joy, this was really saddening because I know you by always being happy and bubbly, so reading about something that's distressing like this that involves you is really weird for me. But at the same time I know the situation and the circumstances so I can visualize this really clearly and I can see this happening to anyone. I felt like i was in you position the entire time I read this and it almost felt as if your parent were talking to me. The way you wrote this makes it seem so genuine and realistic. It was really great, and I KNOW that you're going to go far in whatever college you end up going to.

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  16. Wow this piece was so compelling. I feel like now a days kids choose a college based on the name of the school and not the best fit for themselves. I think your really brave and you should apply to anywhere you want to go to because college is college and in the end its what you make of it! Once you figure out the school your going to im sure your parents will come around, all they want in the end is the best for you.

    -Erin Napoleon

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  17. Wow. This was amazing. The dialogue really portrayed the intense emotion in the piece well. College applications are really stressful and we are faced to confront things about ourselves that we would have rather ignored. I can't completely relate to your story, but I do sympathize with you about the struggles of getting into college and applying. Yet, parents only want us to do what they feel is best for us. Overall, you seem like a good person and I know that you'll get far in whatever path you choose.

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  18. Joy this was really courageous of you to willfully put your self out there. Talking about personal stories that stir up this kind of emotion isn't easy. College app season is stressful for everybody, so don't feel like you're on your own girl! Also, no matter how harsh your parents' words might strike you, you know its coming from a good place. Your parents see the unlimited potential of success their little bundle of Joy has :)

    -Danieh Abu Alrub

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  19. I love how relatable this story is for many of us seniors ;) All of our parents have that one dream college that they want to try to force us to apply/ go to. However, I love how you stuck to your gut and didn't let them persuade you into doing something you don't want to do! Great Job!!! :)

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  20. Joy, you did a wonderful job at creating a vivid image of the story. I, and many of your senior classmates, have had this experience with their parents at some point on their lives, and we always try to keep it behind the curtains. I am thankful that you have provided us insight of the typical senior life, where we all learn more about ourselves becoming individuals. I hope you understand that you are not a failure, and that your parents will fully support you in the end. Although you may feel regretful and disrespectful, it's a part of growing up, and an experience that has to happen. Just keep your head up! You'll do fine!

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  21. Ahhhhh Joy! That's a struggle to deal with. You parents want you to go somewhere, but you want to go somewhere else. Don't feel any less important and valuable than you actually are. The college you get into and decide to go to will be the right college for you because it is your decision. If you go to a college you don't want to go to, then you won't be happy. And you're going to spend four or more years there, so you need to spend it where you'll be happy. And that's hard for parents to process. I know this because I'm still going through that struggle. You're a wonderful person, and you're going to succeed at whatever you choose to do and wherever you choose to go. I believe in you. Do what you want and own it, gurl.

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  22. This happened to me. If I would tell my story of what happened last month it would sound very similar. I can relate to the emotions expressed in this piece. Telling my parents "I just do not want to" was not good enough for them either. I was hurt and I still think about it. I am sorry you had to go through this too.

    - Oscar Salazar

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  23. OK I REALLY REALLY LIKED THIS. I can't STAND parents who try to live through their kids! Like who DOES that??! Parents should be supportive, loving, and a backbone to their children, not try to force them into their own agendas and standards. They have already lived through that time in their lives, and now it's your turn to make your own decisions and dedications. Your imagery, the description of dialog, the raw emotions and feelings of your writing really helped to drive home the tone, and I really respect you for writing about a subject so delicate, and a subject definitely not addressed enough in our society. Great job!

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  24. I love the addition of "How Much Do You Love Me?" I loved it growing up! I liked how your piece was about college season and the pressure that parents give their children towards getting into college. The emotion throughout the piece was really strong and well placed; I can imagine the mother's rage breathing. The imagery was excellent and the diction was good. I really liked it!

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  25. This story really is my life. I liked the imagery given and the dialog between the characters. It makes me feel like im apart of the story.

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  26. I'm still going through something similar! My parents keep asking me f this application is filled out or if that transcript has been sent and often the answer is no because I applied to where I wanted to go and got in so I'm not concerned with other schools. So I can definitely relate

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