Do you remember that scene on Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts goes on a Rodeo Drive shopping spree? I remember it vividly and in fact, I believed that my move to Los Angeles would be just that: a wonderland of shopping, glamorous options, and fast paced fun. I could hardly wait to walk across the Santa Monica Pier and run my toes through the sand. To my dismay, my move wasn't even close.

I spent fifteen hours with my mother in my hunter green Honda Civic. For at least eleven of those hours, she reminded me to always lock my car doors and not leave my purse on the front seat - ever. I simply couldn't wait to arrive in Southern California and escape her motherly advice. My hopes were crushed right about the same time we passed the merge sign for the 5 Freeway. There I was, eighteen years old, stuck in the middle of three freeways, surrounded by four lanes of traffic and absolutely no idea how to get out.

My first several months were somewhat hectic. During my forty six mile commute to school (which took about ninety minutes), I made a wrong exit and landed in Compton (just south of Los Angeles). At a stop light, while trying to find my way back to the freeway, a man came up to my window. I quickly locked the doors (a sign from my mother) and did my best to avoid eye contact. He started yelling at me to give him some bus money, noting that he could see my wallet on the front seat, and I simply shook my head as I waited for the light to change. He walked around my car and stopped in front my hood. Then, he spit on my car, slammed his hands on my Honda and wandered back to the sidewalk. Shaking and furious, I turned the corner and followed the traffic as far away from that corner as I could.

I immediately purchased a Thomas Guide to the city and begin to learn the ropes of freeways, highways, and traffic. I soon realized that all odd numbered roadways went north to south and even numbered roadways went east to west. I also realized that listening to the advice of moms isn't so bad after all.

Learn more about this author, Ryan Coy.
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