Spring and summer are my favorite seasons, so much so that fall kind of bums me out. Moving back to my Atlanta college campus for fall semester really cheers me up, though. This one is for all of us who had to leave the perimeter, go OTP, for the summer. We really missed you, Atlanta, and here are the top 10 reasons why:
1. The Skyline
Just look at it! Who could get tired of it? Atlanta scenery alone is enough to stick around. Talk about an infinite muse.
2. Walking into Movie Sets
Waking up to parts of Baby Driver being filmed under my window was well worth all the noise! Jon Hamm and Jamie Fox may or may not have been a few stories below my living room. Just by living, working, and going to school in downtown we are consistently right in the middle of several productions. Trust me, there is nothing like unknowingly walking up to a high speed car chase for an action movie. Yes, that has actually happened to me.
3. Fascinating People
Atlanta is blessed with diversity that much of the rest of the state is sorely lacking. This diversity makes Atlanta special more than anything else on this list does. People from all cultures and backgrounds are encouraged to celebrate who they are. We are blessed to live in the same city as central landmarks of the civil rights movement, rainbow crosswalks, and more.
4.Street Art
Who needs boring, blank walls? Street art is spontaneous, accessible, and often socially relevant. Just look at Sever’s election day mural,
5. Protests
Big cities are the perfect place to exercise your first amendment rights. There is nothing like watching Atlantans stand up for what they believe in at all costs. I deeply wish there were not so many injustices to protest, but I take pride in knowing that all kinds of civic engagement are a priority in Atlanta.
6. The Beltline
For me, long walks are exercise, therapy and a way to explore the city. The Beltline is a picturesque way to avoid motor traffic. It is sort of like a big, metropolitan hiking trail.
7. The Night Life
If you are looking for some spiritual guidance late at night you can always go to Church…The Bar. The bars on Edgewood are a great place to hear new music and meet cool people. Joystick even has board and arcade games. If you are under 21 or just do not like bars, you can always walk around Centennial Olympic Park at night.
8. Creative Loafing
This colorful urban news source is readily available all around the city. It is perfect for keeping up with news and events around the Atlanta. You may even find your new favorite artist or band in there.
9. Unforgettable Dates
Whether it be picnics in Piedmont Park, treks through the Kirkwood land trust, or shopping in Underground Atlanta, this city has no shortage of romance for cheap. My Atlanta man even put our initials in some wet cement, how cute is that?
10.The Unexpected
Good, bad, or ugly, Atlanta never gets boring. At any time, you may run into something that changes your whole perspective on life. Maybe it’s wild flowers growing on barbed wire, an oddly comforting phrase scrawled on a bathroom wall, or a person showing true compassion in an unlikely situation. Atlanta is its own wild, little world; it is crazy, beautiful, funny, confusing, heartbreaking, inspiring, but never predictable.