When I was preparing for my departure into the great unknown--college on the east coast--I was told people were going to have all kinds of stereotypes and that they'll pin them on me right off the bat. Many examples were named, but when I came here to sweet ol' Roanoke, I was welcomed with kindness and acceptance more than anything. There were stereotypes, for sure, but not all were exactly the ones I was ready to renounce. Some were more intriguing than others. Just to reply to a few of them (maybe some of my fellow west-coast peers can relate):

1. "Oh, you're from San Diego? Do you know (person's name) in Sacramento?"

I don't blame people for asking this, because it makes sense that I might run into someone they know in my own home state. The caveat I am issuing here is this: have mercy on us Californians, because our state is huge. Traveling is also a nightmare because, admittedly, Californians aren't the elite example of good driving on the whole. Be patient with us as you list off all your Californian relatives/friends/acquaintances or better yet, just ask us about In-N-Out instead. We're bound to have more than enough enthusiasm then.

2. Not all of our weather is sunshine and paradise.

Trust me, after surviving just a month and a half (only) of an eastern Washington-state winter, I can tell you with the fullest of confidence: if you're thinking all we do is glitter and tan, you're wrong. You don't even have to go that far north to realize that, for as much as we market our beach-side winters and bikini top/cutoff short combos in our "extended" summers, that's only really true for select regions. If that's what you seek, here's my advice: the closer to the border, the better. I'm not talking about the one with Canada on the other side.

Also: don't just come to our side of the tracks for the sunshine. We have numerous opportunities to enjoy hobbies and sports that don't require it. Believe me, our snow-capped mountains and dense forests are just as captivating as those tropical sunsets.

3. Why did I come here if my home is on the west coast? Because I can, and I wanted to!

The saying "one persons's home is another person's getaway" applies strongly to the emotions I feel when people ask me why I gave up such a wonderful place to come here, with the implication that this coast is lesser-than. For one, comparing the two coasts is a never-ending debate that shouldn't be started to begin with, I learned that the hard way. Despite what the pictures and the TV shows might suggest, the west coast isn't the end all, be all of places to be. I remember thinking to myself, "I have to know what life is like outside of this huge bubble, there's got to be something more!" and while I can't say that this was what my fellow west-coast students felt when they came here, it's still valid.

Using my example of my home state again, I can tell you for all of California's greatness: it's expensive as hell to live, shop, and run a business there, the droughts are hitting our agricultural industries hard and thus our economy, traffic is God-awful 70% of the time, and the gentrification that contrasts our significant poverty levels is beyond disappointing. Every state has its imperfections. I'm not apologetic for leaving "paradise." Paradise doesn't exist.

4. The surfer kid, the valley kid, and the hipster kid.

These are just a few of the stereotypes common to our region. We have characterizations that precede us just like any other place in the US, so here I am saying what you probably already know: these stereotypes apply very rarely. I grew up in San Diego and never learned to surf, scuba dive, or skateboard. I know people in San Francisco who are self-proclaimed hipsters and those who would not touch the term with a ten-foot pole. Family friends in Oregon say they aren't just the land of hippie-nature lovers.

Also, say it with me: We aren't all liberal. Repeat it a couple times.

It's scary sometimes, I know. But encountering someone with a different ideology than the one you assumed will just make you feel all-the-more closed off to what is a perfectly valid perspective. There are staunch conservatives, staunch socialists, quiet moderates, and every other color of the red and blue spectrum (with a few different colors in between and beyond).

And with that, you have a sort-of manual to help navigate the great west. I say that because indeed, we are great. However, I implore you to seek out the vast number of alternate perspectives than mine, and see for yourself. The west coast is full of opportunity, culture, nature, and experiences unlike anywhere else. However, those qualities don't elevate it above all else. We are incomparable, but we are equal.