Melbourne

I want to go on a solo trip to Sydney or the Great Barrier Reef as a graduation present to myself.

My mum said, "No way in hell are you going by yourself, do you not have friends?"

And then starts blaming me for not going on holidays as a child because I didn't want to leave my bed or was scared of unfamiliarity and missing school (which I wish I had missed because upper primary school was shit). Apparently they used to go on holidays every year or two years before I came into the picture.

However, a) my parents value saving money and have instilled in me the "You don't need that rubbish" mindset, b) I'm sure I would've been on board with going if I had known what to expect instead of writing off the idea entirely because I was apprehensive and c) if she wanted to, she would find a way.