This popular BuzzFeed video captures exactly what it means to grow up in Southern California! When I watched it, I was nodding my head at every single point in the video! When I tell people that I grew up in Southern California, I get asked these questions about the beach and our beautiful 60-degree winters constantly!
So to start off, tan lines, yes! When the beach is a mere 20 minutes away, that is the only place I go in the summer. Even though I slather myself in sunscreen to avoid getting burned, I still end up getting completely tan. The parts of my body covered by my bathing suit would remain completely stark white year round, but the rest of my body stayed tan all year long. And just as my tan began to fade in the California winter, spring started to roll around and we were back at the beach again on the weekends.
And the whole idea of Californians not ever truly experiencing cold weather -- I must say, this is true. Snow is just not a thing, and it hardly ever rains. The low for the winter months is probably about 40 degrees and that’s pushing it! I remember Christmas day with my family; we would always ride our bikes to the nearest park and kick around a soccer ball because it was just that warm. So I can testify to the idea that I didn’t know what cold really was until I came to Pennsylvania. And the snow is so amazing! I get so excited when I see snow because previously it was something I never really got to experience. I didn’t get to build a snowman and have a snowball fight in my front yard, so now when I see snow it just feels magical!
And, oh yes, the earthquake and fire drills are a routine thing at schools in Southern California. We would practice two or three times each year getting under our desks and covering our heads. We went over earthquake safety every year at the beginning of the year in class. Fire drills were the same way. We practiced what to do if there was a fire in the classroom, and also talked about how the school would handle a wildfire that got too close in proximity to the school. Crazy, right?
OK, yes -- tornadoes are the scariest things ever! I can handle earthquakes. Yes, the ground is moving, but you can get under something and avoid falling objects. But with a tornado, if the swirling wind is coming for you, getting under a desk won’t do you much good.
Now for my favorite part of the entire video: Disneyland! I am obsessed with Disneyland! If I could live there, I would. I spent so much of my childhood at Disneyland with my family, and as we got older we were there even more! Yes, Disneyland is very close and accessible, but that doesn’t make it any less exciting. Just because it’s close, doesn’t make it “whatever" -- it just makes it more exciting because you can be at the happiest place on earth in a mere half hour! The most exciting fact for a Disney fanatic who happens to live in Southern California!
And I have experienced many smog alerts in my years of schooling in Southern California. There were many times that we could not go outside for gym class because the air quality was so horrific.
Traffic. Oh my, yes! Traffic is horrible, all the time! I should have been able to get to my college from home in about 20 minutes; instead, it took me a little under an hour because of the traffic on the freeways! And we do say “the” in front of freeway names, like “OK, so you’ll want to take the 210, then catch the off ramp for the 10 and you’ll be there in no time.” I don’t know why it’s a thing, it just is!
Honestly, I don’t follow sports. I never really have and I probably never will. But I can assume that the rival teams in Southern California have quite enthusiastic followers.
The diversity mentioned in the video is very true too! Being around different groups of people and different types of food shaped who I am today. I wasn’t surrounded by the same group of people all the time in school and other activities. I was friends with people who had different cultures and backgrounds than I did. And yes, the food is amazing! Korean, Japanese, Mexican and Thai food can all be found within a walking distance of where I grew up.
And praise for In-N-Out! The classic burger joint is a must-have in Southern California. Psst! Don’t forget that you can order off their secret menu. Get everything animal style and you won’t be disappointed, I promise you!
