I never imagined myself living on the East Coast.
It wasn't until I got accepted to the University of Pennsylvania that I started considering the possibility of moving to the other side of the country. I had lived in California practically my entire life, so uprooting my life to a completely new region was a scary thought. But, I thought "Hey, it shouldn't be too different, right?" WRONG. These are just some of the many differences I've noticed between Southern California and Philadelphia.
Weather
I thought there were only two seasons: wet and dry. I guess Vivaldi wasn't kidding about there being four seasons. Snow? This is a foreign concept to me. What happened to my 50 degree winter? I think I repressed a memory from when I had to walk ten blocks in the snow and wind to get to work. It's all coming back to me now. *shudder*
Food
I'm sorry, but the Mexican food here is a travesty. Imagine the shock I received when I asked if there was any good Mexican food around and the response I got was "Oh, well there's a Chipotle!" And the guacamole isn't free? Robbery, I say. On the bright side, the food carts here are pretty bomb, and I am a proud initiate of the cult of Wawa. It still freaks me out when people call boba "bubble tea", though.
Transportation
I really appreciate the public transportation that Philadelphia has to offer. In California, you literally have to have a car because our public transit is atrocious. And, don't even think about getting a taxi because it costs so much more than it does on the East Coast. Being able to hop on SEPTA and get to wherever I want is freeing. And, around 20 dollars to get to New York or Washington D.C.? WHAT IS THIS MAGIC?
Walking
This gets its own section because the walking culture here is so different from California. In SoCal, you do not jaywalk. You will get dirty looks, and you might even get fined by an officer. There's also a high chance you may get run over. Here, as long as there are no cars coming, you're free to jaywalk to your heart's content. You get judged if you don't jaywalk.
Fashion
I have to admit, I miss my daily uniform of shorts and sandals. Although, I do enjoy the more preppy and professional style that Philadelphia has to offer. SoCal is more Urban Outfitters, and Philly is more Ann Taylor. (Or maybe I've just been hanging out at Huntsman too much.) But going back to weather, I can actually wear fall clothes during fall now! Boots and oversized sweaters galore.
Culture
In comparison to the East Coast, West Coast seems so much more laid back. The East Coast is actually very imposing to me with its monuments and museums and centuries of history. I feel as though it is much more traditional and established than the West Coast. But, that's okay. We have Disneyland, so it's all good.
I do miss my home in California, but Philadelphia has given me so many new experiences that I feel I would never have gotten if I had stayed. Change is good. I encourage anyone who feels afraid to step out of their comfort zone to just do it. You never know until you try.
