I just celebrated my LA anniversary. I’ve lived in LA for 21 years now. I know that isn’t a milestone year, but I still think it’s crazy how many years I’ve lived here when in my mind it does feel like I lived in the Bay Area longer. I know that isn’t true, but maybe it’s because my LA life has been a bit split up between being in college, different apartments, and different phases of my life.
Even though I’ve lived here for so long, I haven’t lived in that many places. When I moved to LA, I lived in my freshman dorm at LMU. The summer between my freshman and sophomore year, I sublet an apartment that I shared with 3 roommates. I was also in a dorm for my sophomore year, and during winter break that year I lived with my great aunt and uncle because I had things I needed to do in LA and the dorms were closed for the break. After my sophomore year, I moved into my first apartment and was only there for a year. Then I moved to my next apartment with a roommate and was there for my last semester of college (I graduated a semester early). After 6 years and a bunch of roommates, I moved into the house that I just moved out of. And now I’m in my condo.
I look at the time I was in the dorms and my first apartment as a totally different part of my life. Even my second apartment was a bit less like I was living in LA at times and more like an extension of college. Even though I was only in college for about 6 months in that apartment and then had 5 1/2 years after college, it still felt connected to being a student. My last place really felt like the first grown-up place I lived in. And of course, being in my condo now is a new and exciting phase of life. I did feel settled in LA while living in my last place, but being in a place that I own is an entirely different level.
And as I’ve said this so many times, I had no idea that this is what my life would be like when I was younger. Even just a year ago, I had no idea what my living situation would be like or what type of place I would be moving into. As much as I try to plan for the future, I have had so many curveballs and surprises so I can’t always plan what things will be like. But I have been lucky and most of those curveballs and surprises have been positive or have led to positive things. I didn’t feel like having my landlord sell my place would be necessarily positive, but it was one of the best things for me. So when things seem to be not looking so great, I do try to be patient and hope for the best since things do tend to turn out ok.
I still can’t believe that when I moved to LA, I had just turned 18 and while I had hoped I would stay in LA as an adult I was just happy to be there for college. Now, I’m only a year away from being 40 and I have built such a crazy and cool life here. I can’t imagine what things will be like for me in another 21 years. I also know that I have no idea what things will be like in just another year. So much can change so quickly. But as my history of the last 21 years has shown, it can change in some incredible ways that will help me continue to live the best life that I can in the city that I truly love living in.
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