Whether related to academics or not, I have obviously learned a ton since I started college a year ago. Among my discoveries is attending a university with a scarcity of students from your hometown often enlivens your pride for your roots. So this is a tribute to my hometown, which is the only major metropolitan area in the state of Georgia; here are a fourteen of its most endearing idiosyncrasies.

1. City In A Forest

With at least 36% coverage, Atlanta has the highest density of trees of all the major cities in our nation, and contrary to popular belief, a majority of them don’t grow peaches.

2. History

Atlanta is full of history— including the Civil War and in the Civil Rights movement; it was home to both Martin Luther King Jr. and Margaret Mitchell.

3. French Toast Panic

Many are humored by both the anticipation and the aftermath of snow in Atlanta. Snow is rare enough of an occurrence here that we do not deem it wise to invest in the equipment. As a result, our city is infamous for shutting down for a week or two whenever we get one or two feet of snow.

We are also prone to “French Toast Panic,” (a brilliant term coined by one of my high school teachers), meaning we rush to the nearest grocery store to stock up on bread, milk, and eggs in preparation for the possibility of getting snowed in.

4. Hiking

The city is great for people who enjoy hiking, with dozens of trails either in the area or close by. Among them is one of Atlanta’s most unique attractions, Stone Mountain, which offers plenty of other activities to boot.

5. The Largest Aquarium In The World

Another one of Atlanta’s most notably entertaining attractions is the Georgia Aquarium—the world’s largest aquarium. With a 4.3 star rating on Google, it is enjoyable to visitors of any age.

6. The official "Y'all-ywood"

Atlanta has officially become third to New York City and Los Angeles in terms of film production. Among the 3,231 titles filmed in Atlanta are The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, The Blind Side, as well as the sequels to the Hunger Games, Avengers, and Divergent series.

6. The peaches aren't the real reason why Georgia is the "Peach State"...

Even though South Carolina is known to grow more peaches than Georgia, Atlanta has 65 roadways called Peachtree. Apparently, this nomenclature originated from settlers mispronouncing a Creek trail called “Pitch Tree” by Native tribes, due to the area’s profusion of pine trees that collect sap.

8. The Fabulous Fox Theatre

The Fabulous Fox Theatre is a stunning performing arts venue in downtown Atlanta that has been around since 1928. When touring Broadway productions or music artists are not performing there, the main stage functions as a cinema, just like it did back in the day. The interior has the feel of a palace, and the ceiling provides audiences a feeling that they are gazing into a starry sky.

9. The Largest 10K Road Race

Atlanta’s Peachtree Road Race has been the largest 10k road race in the world since 1970, with at least 60,000 people competing each year on Independence Day.

10. Owls, coyotes, and hawks, oh my!

Residents of Atlanta have to keep an eye on their pets because ironically, the city has an abundance not only of traffic, but also wildlife.

Nowhere else will you find a deer sprinting out of a car dealership building.

11. Shoot The Hooch

Thanks to the Chattahoochee River, Atlanta is the only city where you can grab some fried chicken, cold drinks, and ride through the city by inner tube to stay cool during a hot summer day.

12. A wide variety of vacation spots in proximity

If you cannot decide between the beach and the mountains, Atlanta has the best of both worlds. Both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean are within five hours driving distance, while the Blue Ridge Mountains and a plethora of lakes are less than two hours away.

13. Airport Insanity

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the busiest airport in the world since 1998. 260,000 passengers fly through there daily. Perks? Flights to or from Atlanta are often layover-free. However, since its Domestic and International airports are divided into separate buildings with 6 terminals each, it can make travels quite confusing.

14. If you're a foodie like myself, this is definitely the place for you.

Ranked 4^th by Travel + Leisure’s Top 20 Cities For Foodies, people in Atlanta spend more money on restaurants than any other city per capita. Plus, Atlanta was the place where Chick-Fil-A began. Nuff' said.