If you're from the Antelope Valley, you probably relate with this a little *too well*:

1. People Being Unaware That Your City Exists.

When you meet someone from LA, Orange County, Northern California, or ANYWHERE besides here, and they say "Where are you from?".... You look at them to see how well traveled they look, and then end up saying the good old "I'm from Palmdale, about an hour North of LA." Sometimes you still get a blank stare from them so you say, "The Antelope Valley, it's like off the 14 freeway, which connects to the 5." Or if the name sounds familiar to them you might get, "Oh like where Afroman is from? Is that the same?" Yes, that's where I'm from, a little place that nobody has ever heard of before.

2. Extreme Weather

If you're from the AV, you know what extreme temperatures are. So, when people from LA complain about having to wear a sweater because it dropped below 60, we just laugh a little. In the summer here, ice cubes melt before they drop into your cup from the refrigerator, and in the winter your pool will freeze over. The heat is so awful that you have to open your car doors and let it air out before you get in, and you have to use an oven mitt to put on your seatbelt or start your car. In the winter you can expect a thick layer of frost on your windshield, and it's even more common to see your entire lawn turned into an ice skating rink. And during transition weather between seasons you can count on needing a snowsuit in the morning, and wanting to wear a bikini by 1 pm. Welcome to the AV, where only lizards should live.

3. Having Nothing To Do, In the Entire City.

Anybody who complains about their hometown being boring should come here, because we LITERALLY have nothing to do. We have the movies, the mall, and the grocery store, that's it. Growing up in the AV, you've probably gotten really creative looking for something to do. So, although we may live in a boring town, it probably made you get creative when you wanted something to do.

4. Joshua Trees/ Musical Road/ Crime

Ok, I take it back, we do have a couple other things to do that every teenager loves doing! We have Joshua trees, which only grow here and a few other places. Joshua trees are so much fun, and are gorgeous (catch my sarcasm yet?) Joshua trees always brighten up my day! And of course, we have the musical road, the one that Honda made famous with one of their commercials. The musical road Is one of only two in the country, so I guess we're kind of a big deal. Also, another thing which usually gets our city onto the news is crime. Doesn't it feel like every time you hear our name on the news it's because of some awful crime? Yeah, that's super fun :)

5. Being an Hour Away From Super Cool Things.

On a serious note, although we may live in a city that many people dislike, we are in a fantastic location for easy travel to many attractions. We are about an hour away from a great place to ski or snowboard, an hour away from the beach, and about an hour away from LA. Our strategic location allows us access to many different locations with tons of activities, while still allowing us to live far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city. So, on a positive note, when you get tired of this place, it's not hard to escape to Santa Monica for the day. :)