Growing up in San Diego, California has been amazing. However, it wasn't until college when I moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and then Boulder, Colorado, that I realized how different life in San Diego is from anywhere I have lived.

After being home in sunny San Diego for the summer, I have come up with five of the most pronounced Southern California quirks that any out of towner will be able to identify right off the bat. 

1. Your daily drive to school means you are able to give your own surf report.

 For most people, heading to summer school at 8 AM every morning sounds horrible. While I admit, sitting in a classroom for 8 hours during prime beach time is not ideal, the drive to class is almost worth those extra credits (key word almost). I have lived in San Diego for practically my whole life, yet I still can not help but feel like I’m in The Endless Summer film as I cruise the 101 with the windows down, music up, and waves crashing to my right. Then, I pull into the Mira Costa Community College parking lot as if I’m on the receiving end of a cruel joke. I’m late to class once again. 

2.Food is not a means to survival, but a way of life.

California burritos, Board N Brew, In N Out, Acai Bowls…You name it, San Diego’s got it. Living only 30 minutes from the border of Mexico means San Diego is home to Southern California’s best hole-in-the-wall Taco Shops, including, but not limited to, Roberto’s, Karina’s, Juanita’s, and Kotija, all of which are within a five minute walking radius from my house (dangerous, I know). 

3.Traffic is inevitable.

I have never fully realized the potential that southern California traffic has to make you go crazy until I experienced the 9-5 commute for my internship this summer. The second my boss gives the okay to head home for the night, my joy is immediately crushed the moment I pull onto the freeway, or as we Californians call it, “The Five”.  A drive that would normally take me 15 minutes has now turned into a 40-minute social hour on the freeway (No joke, my mom has gotten someone’s business card while stuck in traffic next to them). 

4.Surfer bros and beach babes are not just in the movies.

You know you’ve arrived in San Diego when you’re surrounded by bleach blondes and surfer’s with hair almost as long as their girlfriends. Crew socks and vans are a must and terms like bro, dude, epic, shaka, chill, get pitted and dawn patrol are just a few of the most commonly utilized vernacular. These bros, and their babes, spend majority of the day at the beach and sport too tanned skin, a surfboard in one hand and a towel in the other. Life’s a beach when you’re a part of the bro culture. 

5. Hipsters and festivals are common.

Slightly different than the surfer crowd are your festival lovers, or people who frequent “festies”. These hippiesque trendsetters, when not shopping at Free People, Urban Outfitters, or some other vintage boutique, can be found at your local coffee shop, probably Pannikin (an old train station painted bright yellow and converted into a 101 coffee haven) socializing with their other flower halo friends while drinking chai tea and discussing next years line up at Coachella. 

While these are just a few of the many quirks of living in San Diego, it is safe to say that "America's Finest City" has a unique culture that is not easily mimicked elsewhere. If you are looking for a break from your daily routine than I suggest saving up and making the trip to the Golden Coast where the burritos are always bigger and the beaches are always sandier. But fair warning, you might end up like many other wanderers who have happened across this paradise of a city and been seduced into a life long  San Diego staycation.