Next steps for a graduate: California beckons but lure of 'Land of Disenchantment' echoes in NM memories

A week ago Monday, I stood with my classmates as we proudly received our diplomas from La Cueva High School. Now, after graduating, I feel excited, nostalgic and, admittedly, a little apprehensive.

Graduating high school is a big step, and for people like me who aren’t going to college in New Mexico, it means leaving for a new state.

Although I wasn’t born in New Mexico, I’ve spent the majority of my childhood here. I was born in Arizona, spent preschool and kindergarten in California, and then moved to New Mexico. And even though I’m returning to California for college at UC Berkeley, New Mexico is always the state that I’ll hold closest in my heart.

I remember when my family first moved here, we visited every major landmark. We drove up to White Sands, then Carlsbad Caverns, went to the Bandelier cliff dwellings, to the tram, and every other tourist attraction you could possibly imagine. After all of it, I felt like we ran out of things to do, and everything felt boring and ordinary.

And lots of kids who grow up here feel that way. There’s even a running joke at my school that when you’ve spent your whole life in New Mexico, it feels like the “Land of Disenchantment.” But now, I think going out of state for college might teach me the things that I took for granted in New Mexico, like the stunning sunsets I thought were common in every state, or the Balloon Fiestas that felt like an ordinary event. Leaving behind the familiar for the new will be easy and exciting at first, but I’ll miss the unique traditions and sense of community that defines New Mexico.

I do wonder, however, whether I’ll stay in California for work after college. I have real worries, as many in my generation do, about whether I’ll be able to become a homeowner in this economy, and if my salary after college will be enough for me to comfortably adjust to the cost of living in states like California. When I think about things like that, coming back to New Mexico seems like something that I wouldn’t be completely opposed to. Like I said, leaving your home state will make you miss it more, and with high costs of living elsewhere, I might be even more open to coming back.

I also have nerves about entering such a big college. Berkeley is a school with more than 30,000 undergraduates and about 45,000 students total. When you’re around that many people in one school, things naturally become more competitive, and sometimes more stressful. It’s intimidating to think about trying to stand out among so many students, but I think it’ll prepare me more for the real world than would a small college.

Navigating a campus that feels like a small city will push me to be more independent and resourceful. I’ll meet people from all walks of life, which will help me grow in ways I can’t even imagine. And the challenges and opportunities that come with such a big school will teach me how to handle pressure, balance a hectic schedule and carve out my own niche.

Despite my nerves and worries, I am so thankful for the experiences and support I’ve received in New Mexico, and for the teachers who changed my perspectives.

I used to think history was the most boring subject, but the enthusiasm of my high school teachers made me grow to love it. I sat attentively in my 10th grade world history class as Mr. Neuser took us through periods of time across continents with his lectures, dressing up for different eras and showing us pictures from his trips across the world. Through our lively classroom discussions in U.S. history and her love for hearing our questions and perspectives, I learned from Mrs. Jenkins the ways that our country and our progress has been shaped and how we as young people could move on to shape it for ourselves. In Government, Mr. Freeman always made sure that we were having fun with political topics, telling us stories of his time living in D.C., letting us pick issues to debate for our mock Congress and showing us that we can civilly disagree, no matter how differing our viewpoints.

I know that not every kid in the state gets to have teachers that they think are the best, but somehow I always ended up with the best. Their love for teaching turned history from my least to my most favorite class, and it’s a love for teaching that I’ve had the privilege of encountering in all of my teachers. I’m sure my classmates would agree .

At La Cueva, we are so fortunate to have teachers who care not only that we’re doing well on the subject, but enjoying the class, too. And when our teachers care about what they do, we as students end up caring more about what we’re learning.

I also ended up with the best parents, who have prepared me with so much love and care for life after my high school graduation. They immigrated to the U.S. from Ethiopia in 2002 and worked their way up to my dad becoming a professor at UNM and my mom a registered nurse at the Veterans Affairs. They showed my siblings and me what hard work and perseverance look like by working hard to give us an easier childhood than theirs, and an easier path to success. My parents’ story and sacrifices for me have instilled in me a deep sense of gratitude and a drive to make the most of the opportunities they’ve given me.

When I leave for California in August, I’ll definitely face some challenges, but I’ll carry the lessons of my parents, teachers, classmates and our state as a whole with me, knowing it’s the loving foundation that I’ll build my future on.

Mahlet Habteyes, La Cueva High class of 2024, has worked since last fall as an intern in the Albuquerque Journal newsroom.