There is a huge difference between going to a college that is a few hours away versus a few hundred miles away. While majority of Villanovans appear to be from the next town or next state over, I am from the other side of the country. Approximately, my small beach town in Southern California is 2717.1 miles away from Villanova University. During freshman year, I wasn't dreading on this distance as much as I thought I would. I was surrounded by a support system of friends and all the fun events at Villanova made me forget how far away I was. While I was distracted for most of the time, there were a few things I still missed about home. Now that I've been home for a few weeks, I have noted 6 things that I have missed the most about Hermosa Beach.
1. Brother's Burritos
If you know me, I describe my life on the west coast with four words: the beach and burritos. Brother's Burritos is a local (and my favorite) Mexican place in Hermosa. The ingredients are fresh and the portions are huge. I never realized how much I loved the burrito food comas until I moved away.
2. Rides on the Beach Cruiser
Since the town itself is so small, everyone in Hermosa rides their bikes. The rising California gas prices are a good incentive to switch to cycling as your primary mode of transportation.
3. Car Rides Down The Esplanade
Technically speaking, the Esplanade runs through the neighboring town of Redondo Beach. The Esplanade is this walkway that runs parallel to the water. I've spent so much time driving down this road that it has become routine. Driving down this street as you blast U2 out of the car windows is the epitome of being a Californian.
4. The Ocean
I grew up with this California love for the ocean. I realized I took for it granted after being landlocked from it for 6 months in Pennsylvania. I missed the early morning paddle-boarding sessions on the calm surf. I missed the deep-sea diving for sand dollars. I even missed the loud echo of the sea lions as they barked into the night. Now that I am home, it feels like I can experience all of this stuff again for the first time.
5. SoCal Sunsets
My favorite part about living in Hermosa is getting to watching the sun disappear beneath the sea at the end of every day. It really is a beautiful sight. The blood-orange sun contrasted with the pink clouds above just make you realize how lucky you are to live here. The sunsets are what bring the people of Hermosa together. Everyone pauses and takes a second to watch. I think that's the best part.
I'm stoked to be home because I get to savor every sunset, bike ride, and breakfast burrito.
