The festival life
Junior Diem Dang gains a professional opportunity be attending the Beyond Wonderland music festival.
During my second weekend here in Los Angeles, I hiked up to the Hollywood sign for the first time ever with my newly connected friends from the program. It felt like it took an entire lifetime to reach the top; however, we were all there for each other every step of the way laughing and talking the whole duration of our journey together.
During most of the trek up the hills, we all snacked and hydrated in order to stay protected from the blistering heat and high altitude changes. My four roommates and I split up from the rest of our group at the beginning to get a head start on the rest of our peers. We all grew closer together as not only roommates but also as friends.
After a tiresome three-mile hike up the trail, we finally reached the top to see this world-renowned landmark put in place before our time. At the top, I couldn’t help but notice the breathtaking view accompanied by an overwhelming feeling of being at peace with oneself. My roommates and I were left in a state of serenity and relief once we realized we made it there. Reaching the top of the Hollywood sign was more of an out-of-body experience for me rather than anything else, because it finally allowed me to breathe in a newfound sense of grounding myself in this city and getting my foot in the door of opportunity to a prosperous future.
This experience not only helped me cope with transitioning here to Los Angeles, but also allowed me to feel a new sense of purpose and growth in which I am excited to continue. In times like this, it is good to allow yourself to connect with nature and open your mind to becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.