I recently made the move to Philadelphia (ish) for college and let's just say I was not experienced in the Philly lifestyle. I had never even eaten a Philly cheesesteak or seen a Philly-related sporting event, much less been to the actual city. But today all of that changed. A group of friends and I decided to take a food tour.

We booked the walking tour a week in advance and ensured that we could find our way from the train to where the tour began. We made all of the necessary stops. Cheesesteak, tomato pie, soft pretzels, and even some insane desserts. As wonderful as the food was, what really surprised me about the tour was how good of a glimpse of the city I got in only two and a half hours. While walking from restaurant to restaurant, our lovely tour guide explained the stories of the buildings that we passed and even gave us tips on places to go and ways to get around the city. Philadelphia's architecture was absolutely beautiful, and the guided tour allowed us to wander and take in the sights without having to worry about getting lost or zoning out. I got to really feel present in the city, and while my friends and I bonded over the food, I felt as though I was also bonding with what felt like my new home.

So here's my advice to you, whether you just moved to a new place or you've grown up in your town/city for your entire life: find the closest food tour available and go on it. If there aren't any, use Yelp to find some different restaurants near you and create your own. Getting to know your town and its inhabitants through food is an experience unlike any other. Even if you feel like you know your city like the back of your hand, the opportunity to get back to the basics or try new restaurants will allow you to forge a new and even stronger connection with your hometown. It was a great day, and I'm full of cheesesteak and of excitement for my next four years here. But mostly cheesesteak.