Admit it, you know when you've ended up in a college town fairly quickly. Whether you're on or off campus people look fairly young and most of the time are representing your school's colors. You also have people spending the night at your place religiously as they always want to come up/down to visit or attend games. You've become the "place to crash" for many people and you don't mind it one bit. The more people that get to experience what you get to every day the better right?
I live in a college town and I have never been more happy.
1. The university is the town.
I don't think a day goes by that I don't see Garnet and Gold all over the town. Even off campus, you'll find apparel, utilities, and more decked out with your school's colors. You know nothing pleases you more than seeing them and feeling a sense of pride in where you attend.
2. School work revolves around game days.
Our professors know game days just as well as when they know it's Homecoming. If your teacher is just as supportive of the school as most of the students are, you'll probably have less school work on rival weekends and exams will be distributed in enough time to prepare for game day as well. Our professors will often times cut us some slack these busy weeks as they're celebrating just as much as we are (or so they've told us).
3. Game days are a holiday every weekend.
Whether you go to the college or not, when it's game day it becomes a celebration for the whole town. If working on game day (sometimes we just can't escape it), you'll still see colors flying all over and every channel will be on for the game. Whether it's an away game or not, you can expect to see the TVs turned to the correct station and people tailgating from dusk to dawn. It's not just football, it's a way of life for your town.
4. Everything is walking distance.
If your college is smack dab in the center of town, you never have to walk more than a few minutes to grab food or even clothes. With the boutiques and millions of food locations, it's never difficult to find clothes you need or food to fuel your night out. For our college town, Tennessee St. is the easiest road to find food choices on. From Chipotle, Panera, Yogurt Mountain, and Tropical Smoothie, it's difficult to find food that's not in a reasonable price range.
5. You recognize someone everywhere you go.
*Goes to Walmart looking like a scrub* You end up seeing half your class. Being involved with campus activities and working a part time job, it's difficult to not see someone you know. You're making friends left and right, literally! Whether it's the girl you met in the bathroom complimenting your shirt, or the boy you met at the IM fields, you'll have a friend wherever you end up. Even your waiter can have a full conversation with you about classes and you'll end up seeing them religiously. It's a town that never stops growing.
I believe that living in a college town has shaped me for the better. I know Florida State is in a larger city than others; however, it still gives one of the best college experiences a student could ask for. I find it hard to know that one day I'll have to leave such a thrilling and spirit-filled area. Thank you State, for making these last two years unforgettable. Go Noles!
