Reflection: Seven Years Living in The Bay Area
I moved to San Jose seven years ago on August 19, 2017.
I packed everything I thought I would need for college and settled into the dorm that became my home for the following eight months.
Three more dorms and two apartments later, I am celebrating my seventh year living in the Bay Area.
I came to San Jose for college, with no idea what the future held other than the will to make it much better than my past, driven by my desire to rely on productivity to improve my life and myself. I unintentionally started what has become a ritual in my life thus far: betting on myself.
I saved up all summer from what was once my dream job back as a high schooler to focus on my first semester in college since I was warned that taking a “full” 16 units, with one 6-unit class, will be quite an adjustment. A semester later I was taking 18 units with a part-time job. A semester after that, I was taking 24 units with two part-time jobs, which I continued to do until I graduated three semesters later.
Then COVID hit… and I was able to do even more. I did an accelerated master’s program while having a full-time job and a part-time job.
And as I’m writing this, I thought about how funny it is that I measure my time here based on my tangible accomplishments. I’m not being interviewed. I’m not being judged. I’m merely reflecting. Yet, somehow, my mind’s default to gauge how I’ve spent my time is how much I’ve accomplished, which is just… so… me.
In the past seven years, I have earned two degrees and got a handful of jobs, with each one better than the last. Lost my job twice. Been promoted twice. Each has served as a stepping stone to my next, with hopes and plans to make my current one my long-term focus that I can only add onto and never replace. So far, I can say my time here has been great.
When I think deeper about my seven years living in The Bay Area, however, and how it’s influenced the life I currently have, my lifestyle, my mindset, and the way I go about doing what I do, the people I have met, the friends I have made, and the relationships I’ve built along the way that have been the most impactful.
I can say I got lucky.
I met people I am still in touch with during my first year living here. One of my closest friends now is a friend I did not expect to make. But here we are six years later, attending basketball games and still hanging out. I even fell in love.
I made one of my brothers in my second year living here. I have spent five of my seven years living here with him, which is all I need to say to describe how much I appreciate and how grateful I am for him. I made another friend who has invited me to lecture for her college class, which has just been a wonderful experience I plan to continue doing as long as she’ll have me.
I made another brother in my third year who I hope will come back to live up here soon as he grows into his career (or maybe just to live closer to me). I formed another great friendship with another unexpected friend, someone who I am just excited for as she approaches motherhood. I then fell out of love… only to fall in love again.
I made more brothers in my fourth year, one who I’m excited for in his journey to pursue his passions and bet on himself (which is very exciting), and another who is my bro, but is not a bro, but I appreciate the hell out of her for reasons I will not share, but she knows. Another friend who is just the best chef and host of brunches I will never miss as long as I can.
I met someone I admire, respect, and is honestly the only person I want to impress other than myself in my fifth year here. She’s someone I know will be influential in my growth over the foreseeable future, someone I can only aspire to be, and someone I will always chase. It’s a balance I’m learning to handle.
And while I spent my sixth year here traveling for half the year, some relationships have blossomed and gotten stronger due to events that transpired. I had to fall out of love. Basketball became present in my life once again.
What started as a reflection has become an ode to what’s made the Bay Area home to me.
The trips to San Francisco to sightsee, see the Warriors at Chase Center, to experience various restaurants I am crossing off my list one dinner at a time.
The trips to Palo Alto to get sushi, to get paella, to get brunch.
The trips to Walnut Creek for more food, to Moraga, to Emeryville, to Berkeley, for various events, and even to Oakland for A’s games.
The bi-weekly catch-ups. The monthly meetings. The quarterly dinners. The spontaneous lunches. The impromptu conversations about sports, life, work, and everything else in between.
The days I spent being productive. The nights I spent being productive.
The days I spent with friends. The days I spent with special people.
The nights I spent making memories with friends. The nights I spent with special people.
The days I spent alone. The nights I spent alone.
I got really lucky. Everyone in my life who has made me love the Bay Area I met due to happenstance.
Right place, right time, right context to strike up a conversation.
As much as I like to say I am me because of me and my actions, I am me because of all the people who have been gracious enough to spend some of their time with me, empowered me to be me, and influenced me to be a better me.
Since I use the past as a baseline to compare my future against, I’m excited to see how I can top the past seven years with the next seven, setting out to accomplish the same task I set out to do seven years ago.
I thank the people I specified without naming. I also thank the people I didn’t specify.
I counted on accomplishing the tangible things I set my sights on.
I could not have planned on meeting you.
I attained accomplishments because of the work I put in. I am more well-rounded because of you.
You have made me love living in the Bay Area.
To friendships getting stronger. To bonds getting deeper. To more of the same.
To new relationships being formed. To new enriching experiences. To what I have yet to see, to learn, and to understand.
Perhaps this is why I felt the need to reflect on this seventh year…
I am lucky.