As a gay, black man, raised in a predominantly white and heteronormative suburb of Georgia, I long for diversity and a change in scenery. When I visited California in July of this year, I felt an immediate, strong connection to the way of life, the people, the personalities, and the ambiance. I knew that I needed to be somewhere where I could be unapologetically me and be accepted for it, and I feel like I could find that in California. I have always been a very expressive individual, whether that is through my appearance or just speaking my mind. My mother is a very closed-minded individual, and because of this, she and I have always had problems with her blocking said expressiveness. My college experience will be a metaphoric freeing of her