Jeffrey Z
Upward Bound LA 1 (1)
June 29, 1995

There is this place that has no name. I call this place "The Lasting View." It is on the top of a big hill, on 57th Avenue. Early in the morning, as I go on the top of The Lasting View, I can smell the early morning air, and feel the cool breeze that hits my face. As I look up, I can see the light blue sky, with very few clouds.

As I look on the top of the hill, I can see a very big lake surrounded by trees and little houses. The little hills, trees, and the lake gave its name "The Lasting View." In the lake you can see very few boats, hardly any. Sometimes this place is very peaceful, only if cars don't pass by. When the cars do pass by there is so much noise, I cannot stand noise.

Sometimes I go there to think about what I'm going to do in the future and I worry...How am I going to afford college? My family does not want me to get a loan from financial aid. If I don't get any scholarships my family says that I have to work 6 hours a day to support myself to go to college. To me that would be too hard. I have to do what my uncle has done. He works while he goes to college and during the summer he got two jobs to save more money for college. What I am going to be when I grow up? I think that I'm going to be a Pharmacist. I think about these types of questions every time that I go on top of The Lasting View. Sometimes, however, my problems are solved when I go there.

I had a friendship problem, my friend decided to use me to get the things that he wants. He even told me that he likes to use me to give him the things that he wants and never return them back, like: video tapes, sometimes school supplies. I imagine that I'm on the top of the world, to me that means I have accomplished a goal. That means that I will not trust him again and I have learned my lesson. The Lasting View I will never forget. That is the promise that I'm going to keep.