Written by: Brandon “Monkey” Imp
Things are about to change in a big way. Am I ready for this? Probably not, but that reason has never stopped me before. Let’s start from the beginning.
I graduated from Cornell University in December 2009, confronted with the mind-shattering reality of non-academic life. I started with something I knew well: leaving. Goodbyes came easy to me at that point; I eagerly left my home state for college, was a social butterfly (well, social wolverine, I have been told) in college, and took every break imaginable in college to live somewhere new. I made great friends and said goodbye, feeling confident that our relationship could be rekindled even after distance and time. I continued that pattern by saying an early goodbye to college and society; I set off to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail with little beyond two companions, a camera, and some sponsor products.
Five months later, I summited Mt. Katahdin as a new man. I freed myself from personal restrictions and limitations, finally knowing that I can thrive outside of the traditional academic-American lifestyle. The AT gave me confidence; transitioning from academia to societal life should be scary, but I had the courage to face it. When the time came to say goodbye to the AT and New Jersey, I was ready and eager to move across the country to San Francisco.
This city though, San Francisco, has changed me. The goodbyes said to the AT and New Jersey were the last to come easily to me. In two weeks I head back east and I am not ready to let go. I took off my shoes in San Francisco and want to stay for a while. This city has changed me from a “goodbye” guy to a “hello, stay for a while” man.
This realization really struck last Thursday night. 40 people showed up to the Eleanor Harwood Gallery for a small screening of Beauty Beneath the Dirt. A fun night watching a friend’s independent film in an art gallery while drinking beer and wine – how much more San Franciscan could the event get? Nobody thought the night was an atypical event; we regularly enjoy wine and cheese in the park, talk with strangers, and go on weekend getaways to the mountains. For 18 months I have developed a solid network of friends in this city. For the first time ever, I am afraid of leaving and letting these relationships slip away. I want to build upon what has been created here. Life! Do not force me to leave! I have lost my ability to spit out an easy goodbye.
Come August, I will be starting medical school. Currently, I am set to return to New Jersey for four years of school. I have wait list offers in San Francisco and New York City, both of which are extremely appealing if the school extends me an offer. Medical school is a big change – I am ready for school, but I am not ready for another relocation. Between now and then, I will be on the G2M Tour, taking Beauty Beneath the Dirt to the streets of communities from Georgia to Maine. I cannot bring San Francisco along with me; I have to say goodbye. I have to leave, at least for a while.
Big changes are happening. I am bookending my gap years between degrees with the Appalachian Trail – first a thru-hike, now a film tour. I am in love with a city and am forcibly removing myself from it. My life plan is set in motion with medical school beginning in the fall. I am strapping in for another roller coaster ride. It’s going to get bumpy!
