A little more than 10 years ago, I had to decide where I wanted to attend law school. The usual considerations were at play (scholarships, school reputation, job prospects, etc.), but the choice for me came down to where I wanted to live for (at least) the next three years.

I grew up in a small town in Massachusetts and spent six years living in the Boston area between undergraduate, graduate school, and working. I applied for and was accepted into many law schools, but ultimately my decision came down to either staying in Boston and attending my alma mater or branching out and moving to California. I decided to make the leap and head West. If I hated it, I could always come home, I thought, but if I loved it, then a new and wonderful experience would unfold.

The next few months were a whirlwind. Seat deposits, applying for housing, and a cross-country move made my fly-in date creep up faster than I wanted. I made a Boston bucket list when I knew I would be moving so I could try to hit up local spots and take adventures that always get taken for granted when they are in your backyard. I barely got through any of the items on my list before I was on a flight to Orange County.

I landed one morning in August, a few days before classes began, feeling excited, nervous, and a bit overwhelmed. Although my belongings were delayed by a few days, thankfully my new roommate had driven across the country and loved camping. I was able to borrow her camping mattress and sleeping bag as I anxiously waited for my things to arrive.

Lying on the camping mattress that night, with my perfect move-in plans wrecked, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had made the right decision. I had left all my friends and family behind to live in a place where I didn’t know anyone and start a new and difficult endeavor. I questioned whether I was crazy for doing so.

My things arrived a few days later, I got settled into my new apartment, and I started making friends with my future classmates. A rough start kicked off three wonderful years, and I stayed in California after graduating. I interviewed at Geraci, and here I am a little more than seven years later, thriving with my work team and my new friends and family. There have been ups and downs, hardships, and difficult decisions along the way, but I am happy to say I do enjoy how it has all worked out.

When I consider taking on a difficult endeavor, I always think back to how I felt during that transitional time in my life. I made a leap and moved across the country, to establish myself somewhere new and thrive. The decisions I have made since then may have been difficult, but not nearly as hard as that initial one. And I always remember that with any decision, if you make the “wrong” choice, you always have a way out. It may not be pretty or perfect or easy, but you can always get back home if you need to.