A typical BC conversation at the beginning of the semester always starts with the inevitable question, “where are you from?” When I say that I am from Los Angeles, the conversation can go one of two ways: they either ask how I’m dealing with the winter or why would I leave California. Although it may be difficult to understand, I actually love the winter.
Now, I understand the first question, there’s definitely a big difference between SoCal and Northeast weather. But, I was always confused why so many people asked why I left California to go to school in Boston.
The number of colleges in the city of Boston compared to the state of California is almost laughable. I was rejected by Stanford and Berkeley, waitlisted from UCSD, had a love-hate relationship with USC, was never a fan of UCLA, and I thought I was too smart for LMU, Santa Clara, or any of the state schools. None of my close friends from home went to school in California either. So what is it? Why does it seem like so many California kids leave the state to go to school somewhere else?
I think there’s a two-fold reason for it: number one being the actual schools. Let’s face it, California has some absolutely amazing universities. There are the amazing ones like Stanford, Berkeley, and UCLA, the low-key great schools like Pomona and Cal Tech, the party schools like UCSB and USC, the Catholic schools like Santa Clara and LMU, the in the middle of nowhere schools like Sonoma State, and everything in between. For someone who is smart (but isn’t Stanford smart) doesn’t really like to party, isn’t religious, and wants to be in the middle of a city, it was hard to find my dream school in California.
This leads me to my second point: there is no better place to go home to than California. Actually, there is no better place to go home to than Hermosa/Manhattan Beach. I have lived in California for 17 years, nine of which in Los Angeles and till this day I have yet to even do everything. There is nothing more exciting than landing at LAX and looking out my window and telling myself that I’m home. Every day in California is an adventure and I look forward to that when I come home. Going to school away from SoCal gives me the opportunity to fully enjoy what the state (and city) has to offer when I’m home and not get tired of it. Every time around holidays I see so many photos on Instagram from my friends in California who are so excited to come home. And that isn’t just Los Angeles, it’s NorCal too. I don’t see that with any of my friends from BC about their home.
There’s no doubt in my mind that California is the best state in the country. We have beaches, we have In-N-Out, we have California burritos (you can’t get better with French fries IN your burrito), and we have the most amazing sports teams and the best views, whether oceanfront, mountains, or Sunset Boulevard. Each time I come home from school, I get to fully enjoy the amazing views every time I come home. I love going to school in Boston, but nothing beats going back to the Golden State!
Sources
https://lovelymaryam.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/2012-11-15-ca-1a.jpg
http://7-themes.com/data_images/out/1/6769713-amazing-california-sunset.jpg
http://www.thepartnerstrust.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Top-Colleges-in-California.jpg