p
t n e m e v o m l a u t e p er T
ng a ki
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aveled r T t s a th Le a P e h
By: Aava Salehi
With his bass guitar in hand, he jumped out of the old, banged up white van and hit the rocky ground with a thud. He stood there a moment in the chilly breeze, looking across the barren wastelands of Barstow, California. After brushing his hand over his slicked back hair, he headed forward to the stage that awaited him. He shuffled his old black converse through the dirt and kicked up dust as he walked, but when he entered the sporadically lit venue, he was reminded of why he was here. Within an hour, the amp was set up along with the enormous drum sets, mics, and back-
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drops. He looked out to the wired crowd and was ready to go. He poured his heart out as his nimble fingers expeditiously strummed up, down, and along his bass guitar. Sweat dripped down his face as he continued to lead the crowd into eruptions of adrenaline. The music fueled his soul and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Bradley Green had set himself the goal of finding intrinsic happiness through making his hobby and passion of music a career, rather than entering college after high school to achieve the
textbook definition of the American Dream. We see the labels such as UCLA alumni t-shirts, Harvard bumper stickers, Stanford Mom license plates- the list goes on. These titles are what people presumingly think lead to success. When we listen to music, we tend to turn our attention to the lead singer- the domi- nant, on the surface voicewithout realizing the bass guitar in the back that
is tying the whole number together. Without knowing the backstory, many stereotype college drop-outs with the external labels of lazy and undetermined. These people are unaware that there is another side to the story. Through his experiences, Brad shows that there is no algorithm to success- you have to trust your heart and instincts to find the baseline of happiness. In the eye of the media, the American Dream is advertised as the dominant dad in charge of the household, the mom dolled up and cooking in front of the stove, the large SUV taking the kids to practice, etc. But, according to the article “The American Dream is a Myth,” Lorie A. Johnson explains, “Happiness and the reality of the American Dream are found in abandoning the false dream, and creating one of your own.” This means that there is no true interpretation to the
title of the American Dream, and that everyone must take their own path to achieve their aspirations. There is no doubt that our passions fuel our soul, which is why Brad followed his heart in choosing the musical path rather than the traditional path. While this avenue may not be as popular amongst highschool graduates, it does not mean it’s a wrong choice or a bad choice. In their article “Why Young People Shouldn’t Go to College (At Least Right Away),” Psychology Today comments on this matter by explaining the importance of timing when it comes to a college education. This article mentions that many “chose a career based on very little informa-
tion or practical life experience” and “a quick entry into university can actually close doors to future career opportunities.” Through touring with a professional band, Brad was able to obtain first hand experience about the lifestyle regarding his passion, while still doing what he loves. He claims, “All the knowledge I have gained about the music industry, all the practice I’ve been playing, all the connections I’ve made- I definitely wouldn’t have made those if I had stayed in school.” There stands a common misconception that college dropouts are taking the easy way out, but Brad wouldn’t be the man he is today without the skills he
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gained on the road. Green explains the lifestyle as a rigorous, yet rewarding, first hand practice into specialty. He was exposed to real world situations from a young age rather than the typical college classroom and dorm setting. Brad went into detail about how you’re on a 10 dollar a day food budget and sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots hoping you wouldn’t get kicked out. These events are what made Brad stronger and taught him more than a classroom setting could. He learned how to budget his money without a lecture and learned to find shelter in times of need. Introspectively, he was self-taught how to stay emotionally strong when he missed friends and family. Overall, Brad learned to never take any moment for granted. As rewarding as it was taking this unique avenue of post-grad plans, Brad still questions the “what if ’s.” “What scares me the most,” Green explains, “is the possibility of taking the wrong path.” Brad had taken a risk by not taking the road most traveled by after high
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school, and being one with such goals and expectations, the possibility of being at a different, or better, place in life lingered in the back of his mind. The article “The Involvement of the Orbitofrontal Cortex in the Experience of Regret” by Nathalie Camille explains regret as “cognitively mediated emotion triggered by our capacity to reason counterfactually. Counterfactual thinking is the mechanism by which we compare ‘what is’ with ‘what might have been.’” This applies to Brad because he always wonders where he would be today if he had finished school and that not having a degree sometimes feels like a setback in his life. “In the area we live in, you need a degree to kind of get a really good job,” Brad’s girlfriend Courtney explains. Therefore, she encouraged him to enroll back in school. Brad has taken his passion for music and personal connections and is now molding it into his success. Getting back into
college didn’t happen automatically, and most definitely was not an easy process, but Brad never let obstacles affect his path. Achor claims that many people “feel overwhelmed by every small setback instead of energized by the possibilities in front of them.” Brad addresses that his biggest regret was not finishing school and getting a degree, but is not going to let this setback stop him from moving forward. He is looking to graduate from San Jose State University with a degree in Communications then move down to Southern California to do media and marketing for the successful guitar company Ernie Ball. Through all the successes and the challenges Brad points out, “You cannot change your
past, but you can create your own future. That’s what I’m striving to do.”
�MY AMERICAN DREAM IS TO BE HAPPY��
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