Chicago is obviously an amazing city, why else would so many people put up with the winter otherwise? Still, many leave for college in other cities all across the country. There will always be some things that everyone who leaves Chicago will miss when they go away for college. After all, there are some things that are just better in Chicago.

1. The Pizza

I mean, have you seen it? It's absolutely amazing.There's a reason why so many tourists insist on trying it and why locals are so picky about where they get their pizza from. It's also something that you simply can't find outside of the city and every Chicagoan knows the cardinal rule of eating deep dish pizza outside of Chicago: don't.

2. Food In General

Deep dish pizza. Italian beef. Mexican food. Pierogis. Hot dogs. The list of amazing food in Chicago goes on and on. There is also so much variety it is impossible to not find what you're craving! The best part is that it's easy to find all of this food for reasonable prices all over the city and most places deliver so there's no need to ever go outside during winter.

3. Architecture

Chicago has some seriously beautiful architecture. Why else would people spend so much money on architectural boat tours? We also have a lot of buildings that were either designed by Frank Lloyd Wright or were remodeled by him. Not only that but even for those of us who aren't architecture buffs, the buildings gorgeous skyline can still be appreciated.

4. Parks

Most Chicagoans don't realize just how much green space there is in the city until they leave. In the summer, the city is beautifully green and that is definitely appreciated after a long, frigid winter. Not only are there countless neighborhood parks, but Millenium Park is a prime people-watching location.

5. Comedy

Two words: Second City. Chicago is a wonderful place for improv comedy and so many of the hilarious comedians America loves have come from Second City. Dan Akyroyd, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are just a few of the notable alums. Basically, you're welcome world for some absolutely hilarious people.

6. Festivals

Summer in Chicago is such an amazing time, especially because it is often after a long, hard winter. A high point of summer for many is the festivals. Chicago offers an enormous variety - family friendly affairs to entire events celebrating beer to wild outdoor music festivals. Some of the more notable ones are the big music festivals such as Lollapalooza. And that's not even getting into the countless food festivals.

7. Summer

Chicago might have an absolutely brutal winter, but summer is amazing in contrast. The weather is warm, the beaches are easily accessible, and there is so much to do it's unbelievable. There seem to be festivals pretty much every weekend and plenty of events to attend. It's the best time of the year even though it only lasts a couple months.

8. Christmas

Winter is not anyone's favorite season in Chicago, but December is relatively mild when compared to January and February. When the city is all lit up and decorated with Christmas lights for nearly the entire month of January, it's absolutely beautiful and it makes the cold much more tolerable. Christmas is a beautiful time of year in Chicago.

9. Skylines

New York's skyline may be more famous, but Chicago's is absolutely beautiful. That's just all there is to it. All you have to do is look at it to understand why everyone thinks that Chicago is such a beautiful city. Sure, the parks and the cleanliness help, but it's the skyline is gorgeous.

10. Sports

OK, most of our sports teams aren't all that great, but at least we have the Blackhawks and they're pretty amazing. To make up for the fact that not all our sports teams are fantastic is the dedication of the fans. Cubs fans keep showing up to Wrigley even though the Cubs haven't won a World Series in what feels like forever.

But it's about the experience, right?

11. Public Transit

I never thought that I would ever say the words "I miss the Red Line" in my entire life because waiting for late trains in the winter is torture, I always seem to end up next to the crazy person on the train, and the El often has a weird smell that I hope is only cat pee. Still, I've found myself saying that I miss the Red Line and even the bus every time I wait for the street car or end up walking because it's cheaper than an Uber.

The CTA may have been drawbacks, but it's efficient and the transit tracker app is actually accurate.

All in all, Chicago is such an amazing place. For many, it's a place that they will always call home no matter how far away they go.