The Patterson Polaroids

The College Party

I always hated the concept of moving, having to pack up your entire life, which you've created over the years within the growth of your bedroom. Accumulating things that have helped you grow, or that you've grown to love. Only to have it ripped from the walls, thrown in boxes, and shipped off to some ideal new place that you have to adapt too. Make your own again, until that house gets abandoned as well. No, i'm not the biggest fan of moving, if you haven't noticed. 

So when my parents told me we were moving within my freshmen year of college, i was the last person jumping up and down. I loved our old house, i practically grew up there from childhood to teenage hood. Went through so many challenges, learned from many mistakes, and even overcame obstacles i didn't even know i had the strength to do so. That house wasn't just a house for me. It was home. Cause that's what we made it. But of course, not every home is permanent. 

My great great grandfather had passed away once ago, leaving a house that i had never seen before, in our name for the next generation to come. My parents had tried convincing me this was what we needed, a fresh start, a family inheritance, something that we could keep in the family forever. Even when i were to get older, get married and have kids, i would experience it here. And then pass it down, and so on. I didn't like that the rest of my life was already planned out for me, regarding where i was gonna live. It never sat right with me. But there was one thing i really loved, the house we had left behind was abandoned because it wasn't permanent. Though this one could be. And that was something i could definitely get use too. 

It was a long drive over to Burkefield, it wasn't like we were moving to a different state or anything. The new house was only a few hours south of where we use to live. My parents had moved up here near Yale to be closer to my college for my freshman year. I couldn't afford the dorm rooms, so that's why, even though i'm in college, i still live with my parents. It was sort of an old neighborhood, every store seemed ancient and beaten down. Some looked as though they had reconstruction done, but other stores fell out of business because of lack of income. 

Not only had this house been around for decades, maybe even centuries. The town and neighborhood had been as well. At least we wouldn't feel like the odd ball out. After several dead trees, some twisty turns, bumpy roads, and even a no trespassing sign, we finally made it to the house. "Isn't it amazing?" my mom said, as i could hear the GPS say "you have arrived at your destination". "Super" i said, not very convincingly, as my dad rolled his eyes. "You're gonna love it, you'll see" he said, as he pulled the car up closer to the gigantic house that was now our own. 

It seemed as though it was a two story home, cracks in the plaster, the wood seemed like it was peeling. The house was old fashioned, with a porch in the front, stairs to the door, no bricks in sight. Bushes in the foreground, wrapping around the entire house, a fence on the side that i assumed lead to the back yard. Large pillars in front, to keep the house from falling over because of how old it was. "Don't worry, once we fix it up, it's gonna be nice" my mom said, as the car came to a stop. "It's gonna be real nice" my dad said, chiming in. "This is our new home?" i asked, staring at the pile of wood that claimed to be our family heirloom. 

"Come inside" mom said, as she opened the door and so did my dad, leaving me to sit in the car by myself. "Paige, come on!" my dad said, as he was looking for the keys in his pocket. I opened the car door and stepped on the dewy ground, filled with autumn orange leaves and tree twigs. The cold fall breeze brushed against my skin, as i slammed the door shut behind me. I had never liked to wear my hair down, even though the length of it was to my rib cage. I always tied it into a side braid, as it rested on my right shoulder. My Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR camera, hung on my strap around my neck. Skinny jeans were my go to pairs of jeans, as i wore my favorite pair of black and white simple converse. I had a long sleeved drop shoulder cable knit sweater on, with my favorite fall color of a orangish brown.