Jack Luo — 5 minute read

A dream and its chase

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you devoted your life to it? That was me when I decided to leave a college where ambition felt scarce and lectures were filled with people who just wanted a degree. I ground through the hardest courses, ranked in the top five percent and even avoided relationships because I was singularly focused on transferring. I flew to San Francisco and Stanford to insert myself into communities that would stretch me.

Success?

My hard work paid off: I managed to secure a special status at MIT, enrolling in courses without yet earning a diploma. Suddenly I was in Boston, sitting in lecture halls and meeting incredible people. It looked like total success, but the first week taught me something else: when you think you have life figured out, you rediscover how large and confusing the world is. I went from setting curves to feeling like just another person. Imposter syndrome crept in.

Meaning of life

After chasing one goal for a year, I realised that achieving it did not answer everything. School teaches a simple path: college, high‑paying job, profit. But in the real world, people leave high salaries and wealthy people regret choices. Money is important, but once you can cover your needs, what next? During my first two weeks in Boston, I felt disoriented. My world had been narrow; now there was too much interesting stuff and no clear compass.

The hidden side

Moving to a new city alone was hard. I had no housing or support and slept on office floors and sofas for a week. Vending‑machine food and fatigue made it difficult to participate fully. I thought leaving my old college would be perfect, but I quickly realised how disorienting it can be to transition; there is always more “cool sh*t” than one person can handle.

Acceptance

Despite the hardship, I recognise that this is the path I chose and I am committed to it. After the initial shock, things get better: I met over twenty incredible people in a week and learned more than I would have in a quarter at my old school. Being accepted in a new community takes time; the first and second weeks are always the hardest. Looking back at friends from elementary school, high school and my first college reminds me how far I have come. To everyone who supported me, thank you. No success comes without suffering.