Chris McCandless at KO

I have spent all but one week here at this, this rich school. Nothing but preppy students who think they are every bit of intelligent. I sit down under the big blossoming tree next to the library outside. This is the only place I can be where no one will disturb me. At the moment there are a few groups of students scattered around the turf, but I am sure none of them even realize I’m just a few feet away from them. In my hand, I hold one of the books I bring with me to school every day to take my mind of the disgusting and ignorant aspects of society. I watch as two students sit next to each other on the fake grass, drinking cups of Gatorade. What is there to like in this overcrowded confusing place. The people here, both the students and teachers, keep their faces glued to a small screen all hours of the day, even in their classes. They strut around in their new clothes and accessories believing that they deserve all these things. I can’t stand to be around people who don’t even know what the world is like when you get away from other people and the media. Students and teachers are too distracted to notice the beautiful blue jays flying above them gracefully, or the naked squirrels prancing around looking for acorns to eat. They would rather follow the expectations of society than follow in their own footsteps towards their own dreams and aspirations. Back when I hitchhiked and climbed mountains, I did that for myself. I believed in myself enough to follow my dreams, even though neither my family nor the other citizens I encountered on my many journeys fully agreed with my doing so. I can just see myself at this very second, standing atop a cliff looking out at the other mountains and the water and the sprouting nature all around me. It infuriates me how people spend years in schools where they are taught about the nature of the world and don’t even take the time to explore it themselves. They waste their time finding careers rather than living; seeing what is beyond any school or job, the beauty in nature itself. I watch as four girls huddle around each other and gossip about another girl in their class, while speaking in hushed tones. If this is what my life will be like for the next few years, I am most definitely going to make it my mission to escape this awful place.