by: Brad Weisberg
Summer, not that it's in any way comparable to the two to three months of "not doing anything, chilling on the couch with my hand down my pants" that we were all privileged to get during our undergraduate years (Bruno Mars reference for you slow ones), is slowly coming to an end. What a crazy summer it's been! As many of you may already know, the event that I planned for the American Heart Association was the true kicker to the start of summer. Seven months of many endless nights, filled with a mixed bag emotions, finally came to an end on the morning of June 8th, 2013. Though, that's a lie. The next few weeks were filled with hours of nail biting, drenched in sweat, and twitchy eyeballs, as we worked continuously to meet deadlines and achieve organization-wide goals, and close our books before the end of the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
Living in the the Washington, DC Metro Area has been a thrilling experience, extremely rewarding as well. I came to this foreign place with no friends, no job, and without a solid plan. I've been known to embark on these types of risky adventures. Within a couple of months of starting over, I managed to land a job with one of the most well-known health brand nonprofits, met a great group of friends and other acquaintances who have served me well with my adjustment to the area, and basically rebranded myself and life. My life has been filled with many ups and downs. I've been afforded the opportunity to travel all over the world and live in many different places, and I am so fortunate for that. In a few weeks, I will be taking a leap as I move into my own apartment without any roommates. Since college, I've had the chance (not always by choice) to live with many different people, and while the majority of my living arrangements have not been ideal, causing me many long days filled with physical, emotional, and psychological upsets, they have played a large role in making me a much stronger, open-minded, and tolerant individual. Though, I'm ready, socially and economically, to live on my own, in a state of peace, cleanliness, and without any challenges to accepts. From the potheads and belligerent drunks, to the disrespectful and illogical, I'm ready to be done with them all. I will not opt-in to have a roommate, until I'm in a serious relationship (very late 20s- 30s) with a girl that I can trust, or till I'm engaged to the Mrs. Weisberg to be. 
After eleven months of isolation from all of the beauty, superficiality and ignorance that inhabits South Florida, I decided that it was time to pay my long lost friends a visit, as well as indulge myself with all of fine edible offerings that the DMW has failed to deliver in the past year. A week in 'El Paradiso' was more than enough for me. It wasn't long after I landed at Fort-Lauderdale International Airport that I began to once again feel the stupidity that circulates in the South Florida air. For those who never had the chance to leave their nest in South Florida for a long period of time, it's quite hard to explain the difference between the real world and the bubble. Let me explain it like this. In Florida, social status is built on one's consumption of unworldly goods, such as luxury automobiles, world-class estates, having the hottest spouse (objectification of women and men, I don't stand for it but it happens... those gold diggers), and other petty items. On the other end of the spectrum, your respect in Washington DC is based on your academic and professional status. While it is incredibly rude, one of the first questions you will be asked in Washington DC is, "What school did you go to?" or "What do you do?". Knowing that someone is immediately judging you based on your response is nerve wracking and at the same time, it's like IDGAF. Many of my friends would label me as a name-brand whore, and they wouldn't be completely wrong. Growing up, I was highly influenced in my decisions by national rankings and historical reputation. I would not give the time of day to any university that was not at least ranked in the Top 50, and was a bit irritated when I was forced to attend only a Top 50 University. With age and more experiences, I've learned that it is not the degree or institution that defines a person, it's their personal motivation, professional and social experiences, that determines their success. When I tell people I work in nonprofit, I feel like I'm being negatively labeled from all these management consulting and pre-law snobs. So as you can tell, I have not decided which form of snobbiness I prefer, neither to be completely honest (in my dreams).
Going home these days can be depressing. As we all get older and venture out into the real world, we're all moving farther away, and that sense of comfortability and companionship that I felt during my childhood is fading quickly. Change is usually easy for me, though I'm not ready to watch my friendships dwindle away with distance. The warmth and feeling of connection is slowly slipping
It had been over seven years since I vacationed in Southern California. Once UCLA broke my heart with their rejection letter, I had no desire to travel to the Wild West. Though after returning, I remember why I love California. So many good memories shared with my immediate and extended families, old friends and new friends alike. I can easily picture myself continuing my future in Los Angeles and settling in the O.C. or San Diego, though it is much to early to know where I'll be in the next few years.
