The city of Irvine is about halfway in-between Los Angeles and San Diego, and is smack dab in the middle (eh, kind of, but not really) of Orange County. Even though it is part of an area that has so many expectations, stereotypes and connotations, Irvine is truly an entity all it's own.

With a population over 250,000 and a highly diverse population, Irvine has been continuously named America's safest city since 2005. But that's not all; Irvine is not only the birth place of Will Ferrell and the band Young the Giant, or where (the greatest frozen yogurt chain ever) Yogurtland got its' start... There is so much more that exemplifies living and growing up in the Irvine bubble – so here are some things that you KNOW are true if you grew up or live in Irvine:

1. You went to one of five high schools.

Each of them had a very different culture. Uni, Irvine, Woodbridge and Northwood each have their own unique ecosystems as high schools; With different demographics, different sports that they are good at and vastly different parts of Irvine that they cover. Also, don't forget Beckman (even if Irvine doesn't really claim them, they still count!) Now be prepared, because Portola High School is opening up in the fall.

2. But no matter which high school you went to, you were always expected to take AP and Honors classes.

3. And you probably took dance pictures at the Woodbridge Lakes or Jeffery Open Space Trail.

I mean they are the optimal Homecoming picture background.

4. You lived in one of the MANY Irvine villages...

There's Deerfield and West Park and Woodbridge and Cypress Village and Portola Springs and Woodbury and Northwood and Turtle Rock... Just to name a few. I mean Irvine is one of the largest planned communities in the United States.

5. You thank god every time you fly in or out of John Wayne Airport (SNA).

Because it is so much better than LAX.

6. The thing you hate the most about Irvine is that EVERYTHING closes by 9pm.

Except for Yogurtland which is open until midnight everyday. Other than that, you're out of luck for any late night food runs.

7. You know the "Y" doesn't stand for the YMCA.

And you always dread entering one of the busiest interchanges in the world, with daily traffic that surges with 102,000 to 356,000 vehicles a day.

8. You probably take for granted that we have The Irvine Spectrum, The Market Place, The University Center, Diamond Jamboree, K1 Speed and a Boomers all in our city.

9. Every time you come home, you barely recognize some parts of Irvine.

I mean just since I left for college last August, the Jeffery Open Space Trail re-opened, Eastwood popped out of nowhere, Portola High School was finished and The Market Place built five new pads and opened tons of new restaurants.

10. The Irvine Company literally owns everything in town, and in the surrounding areas.

11. Although you feel bad about the drought... Irvine Company keeps basically every lawn pretty darn green.

However don't even think about running through the sprinklers during a heat wave, because it is all reclaimed water.

12. Sometimes traffic infuriates you...

Because even if we have "one of the best traffic plans in the state," we really need speed minimum signs posted around.

13. You know it's bad when traffic on the 5 is backed up past Culver or Jeffery.

The worst part is you never know if its from an Angels game... or worse, L.A.

14. Seeing the Irvine PD when you're driving really freaks you out.

Because you know they are basically waiting around every corner to give you a ticket.

15. We definitely have our fair share of movie theaters.

Like at The Market Place, the Spectrum, UCI Town Center, Irvine Center Drive...

16. But you're not really from Irvine unless you wait to see a movie until it's at Woodbridge 5, or "The Dollar Theater."

However, you were still a little mad when they started charging $3 every day and got rid of $1 Tuesdays.

17. Irvine may be home to the Taco Bell headquarters...

But everyone knows that if you REALLY want Mexican food, there are so many other great restaurants to choose from.

18. Speaking of restaurants, there is so much good food.

The thing you dread most about leaving "The Bubble" is that there won't be a boba shop in every shopping center. Or the lack of Korean BBQ. And how much you are going to miss the Asian markets, authentic Chinese and Japanese restaurants and the insane diversity available around every corner.

19. You fear for your life every time you enter the Diamond Jamboree parking lot.

And have to hold yourself back from crying if there is a parking spot next to 85 degrees.

20. You cried when Wild Rivers closed...

(and still silently hope that the Irvine City Council will approve the plan to rebuild near the Great Park.)

21. Or when Lion Country Safari closed (and was later turned into Wild Rivers)

But that might have been your parents reminiscing on when they could drive through the grazing land and take pictures with actual tigers and lions and gazelle coming up to their cars.

22. And you know you're going to cry when the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater closes...

23. You've spent either a Fourth of July, Veteran's Day or Memorial Day at the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial.

(and if you haven't, shame on you. But really, you should go visit sometime)

24. You know that there's a lot of cool things to do in Irvine.

Like riding the balloon at the Great Park or walking the timeline. Or going on the Irvine Spectrum Ferris Wheel. Or going Ice Skating at the Spectrum during the winter.

25. However, you have probably only done each of them once...

Maybe twice, if family was visiting and wanted to go.

26. And sometimes the Orange Balloon is more visible than both the sun and the moon.

27. You kind of have a love/hate relationship with the Snapchat geotags.

You probably love the Irvine Balloon, laugh at the Irvine Bubble, tolerate the Irvine Pixelated Orange and wonder why there is a West Irvine one; and of course freak out when a new one goes live

28. Sometimes you forget that on clear nights you can hear the Disneyland fireworks.

But alas, you still have to drive a few miles north to actually SEE them.

29. We may be (fairly) well known for UCI.

30. And also be home to a fair amount of other colleges...

Such as Concordia University (a private Christian school), Irvine Valley College (community college) as well as satellite campuses for CSUF, USC, FIDM and other schools.

31. But it usually doesn't really feel like a college town.

Unless you live near University Town Center or randomly see an OCTA bus with Mamadou N'Diaye's impressive wingspan covering the entirety of the bus

32. You kind of dread the Junior Olympics and other swim meets at Irvine High School...

Because it just means more traffic, and huge lines at nearby restaurants.

33. Or the World Cup of Softball at Bill Barber park.

34. And while you can't wait to get out of the Irvine Bubble...

You live 20 minutes away from Disneyland, 20 minutes away from the beach, close enough to catch an Angels or Ducks game, get a great education and eat some of the best and most diverse food you will ever have, all while living in "The Safest City in America"; and you wouldn't change that for the world.