Good ol' Edmond, Okla. Nice cars, quality education, safe neighborhoods, and whatever you are looking for in search of the "perfect" place to live. Edmond is its own bubble and arguably one of the closest man-created versions of a utopia. Just drive north on I-35 until you see the white picket fences and manicured lawns, and you will know exactly what I am talking about.

1. "Oh, so you're with the rich people."

The typical reaction from anyone when you tell them you're from Edmond. Regardless of whether or not you considered yourself "rich," Edmond is a wealthy town -- and everyone in Oklahoma knows it.

2. Oak Tree.

Oak Tree is a neighborhood that doubles as a country club with multiple subdivisions sprinkled all throughout Edmond. If you live in Edmond you have something that says Oak Tree on it — a hat, a shirt, a car sticker that lets everyone know you're from Edmond.

3. Our police officers ride in style.

Dodge Charger or BMW motorcycles are the typical types of cars you see the officers of Edmond driving. They're also souped up and much faster than a typical car — probably because a majority of Edmond citizens drive fast cars (and they would rather outrun the police than pay for the ticket).

4. Pelican Bay is the social hot spot when you're a kid.

As a child, being taken to Pelican Bay was one of the coolest things ever. The giant slides, the lazy river, the swirling vortex/whirlpool that everyone liked were just a few of the attractions. You were one of the coolest kids on the block if you had a birthday party here during the summer.

5. Second Street traffic is real.

If you're asked to go anywhere on 2nd Street between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., be prepared, because what should be a 15-minute errand turns into an hour-long standstill in traffic. It's even worse when there is inclement/severe weather — it's like everyone forgets how to drive, making the traffic that much worse.

6. You have at least one photo in front of the giant Pops Bottle.

Located on Route 66, Pops is a restaurant that claims to have over 700 different types of soda. It also has a 66-foot-tall statue of a pop bottle that everyone takes pictures in front of. All day excursions at Lake Arcadia, or a random adventure with friends usually end up at Pops.

7. Herbert W. Armstrong College = cult.

Is it a college? Is it a church? Is it a performing arts center? Nobody knows! Just ask anyone in Edmond. This beautifully built "college" that doubles as the world headquarters for the Philadelphia Church of God has been subject to scrutiny by concerned Edmond parents, and the imagination of teenagers wanting to hop the fence and check it out. But one thing is for sure, on warm summer nights you can hear them outside chanting.

8. Charity Weeks (BALTO/SWINE/DWDW).

Ugh, just the thought makes me crave puppy chow and spicy pretzels. A week of pure pandemonium as students bake and sell goodies in the hallway all in attempts to raise money for charity. The past few years have been record-breaking for the amount of money raised, varying from $200,000 to $700,000.

9. We like dog mascots.

Bulldogs, huskies, and wolves — oh my! The three high schools that are "true" Edmond high schools all have dog mascots. Rumor has it that we are building a fourth high school and their mascot will be the Dalmatians.

10. There is a college here, but no one wants to go there.

This isn't a jab at UCO by any means, but a majority of Edmond kids would prefer not to go to UCO just to simply get away from their hometown. Actually, UCO has a quality education and student life. A lot of kids just want to break away from Edmond and go to another university that isn't a place they have spent most of their lives.

11. Football isn't a sport; it's a way of life.

Those Friday night lights are more for the fans than they are the football players. Storming the field, waving the flags, chanting at the other side, and mosh pitting are just a few of the ways Edmond kids get rowdy at football games. We take our rivalries seriously as well; in fact, rivalry games are called Edlam.

12. It's a great place to grow.

As cheesy as it sounds, every Edmondnite knows that our slogan rings true. We live in our own little bubble, and it has been ranked as one of the best places to live.