Arguing with My Parents

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While I was growing up, there were several instances when I had conflicts with close people in my life. These conflicts were definitive and have influenced the way I approach different issues. A recent conflict I had was with my parents as I was choosing my major and university. The conflict arose from their interests and desire for my life without considering my educational goals or passions in life. This positioned me in a critical position to disobey my parents and pursue my dreams or follow their suggestions and disregard my dreams. My parents wanted me to choose an English major at a university in my hometown (Hefei). While I acknowledged that my parents were a critical part of my college experience, given the fact that they had raised me and wanted the best for me, I did not agree with their selection of college. I strongly believed that it was my own decision to choose the major I wanted based on my aspirations and goals in life. I wanted to major in finance at a university in a bigger city (such as Nanjing). Finance was an interesting subject for me, and I strongly believed that pursuing this course would allow me to attain my career objectives, such as working in a multinational corporation. At one time, my father said, "You have to do what we say. We are your parents." The voice was rough and coarse, which made me feel afraid and nervous. I understood the family's position in one's success in completing education. Therefore, going to college was an enormous commitment for the entire family, and it saddened me that my parents and I could not agree on where I should study. I wanted to choose a school far away from home because I wanted to be independent, but more importantly, I felt I needed to see more of the world. I always wanted to live an independent life free from any unnecessary attachments or supervision. As an adult, joining college was the first part of attaining this independence I craved for. While this was my desire, my parents feared for my safety: I am a girl, so going to a college in my hometown made a lot of sense to them. The fears on my parents' side were justified because it was appropriate for them to be concerned about my welfare and safety. The thesis of this essay is: Deciding which college to go to should not be a competition between parents and their children; rather, it should be a collaborative process where both parties are willing to compromise.
I had always wished to go to a college far from home because it meant a fresh start for me: discovering and living the city life would have been a welcome experience. Bigger cities such as Nanjing have their own language and unique culture different from that of my hometown. Therefore, I believed that schooling in a new environment afforded me some experimentation. This would allow me to explore diverse issues in life and see how things wer...