As a suburban teenager outside of the City of Brotherly Love, I always complained about how boring and monotonous life in the suburbs was. And don't even get me started to when I began to watch "Gossip Girl," because then I envied the lives of Serena and Blair and how they had the freedom and ability to do whatever whenever. Granted, the accessibility that the city provides is awesome. But as I contemplate (and fear) where my future career path with realistically take me in the future, I reflect on why the suburbs in which so many of us grew up.
1. Friends (and everything else) were right around the corner.
You could get nearly anywhere in five minutes and everything from the grocery store and the movie theater to the nearest mall was barely 15 minutes away.
2. Living close enough to the city had its perks.
Really paid off when you could go to any concert or sports game within reason and minimal planning needed.
3. "There's nothing to do here" wasn't as bad as it sounds.
As boring as it was at times, it forced you to go outside and interact with people before texting and video games.
4. Getting your license was equivalent to Aladdin's magic carpet ride.
Seeing as you had to drive everywhere you wanted to go, it was an indescribable feeling when you finally didn't need to rely on Mom and Dad to get you from point A to point B. It was your first taste of ultimate freedom.
5. Your neighborhood friends were your first friends.
Whether or not you stayed close through high school, some of your best childhood memories came from the nights of Manhunt in your cul-de-sac and catching fireflies at dusk.
6. Swimming pools were the summer hangout.
I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have a pool in my backyard (or that of a friends) to dip my toes into during the sweltering heat of summer. Having this convenience is a rarity outside of the suburbs.
7. Living somewhere basically crime-free was an added security blanket (pun intended).
Incidences of crime in a suburban town are few and far between. In fact, it probably was never something you even thought about. But, when something did happen, don't act like you didn't feel like you weren't on an episode of "24: (Insert Hometown Here)."
8. Friday Night Football and Saturday Night Hockey were the places to be come the weekend.
See number 3. It was something to do, regardless if you were a sports fan or not and was an opportunity to bond with your classmates over the mutual hatred of your rival.
9. Clarity, peace, serenity.
You could always count on the tranquility of the evening come sundown. Summer nights anywhere else wouldn't be the same. You certainly can't spot the big dipper or here the chirp of crickets amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.
10. Very little beats driving around with your friends.
There's few things I enjoy more than grabbing a couple of my friends and drive around until we decide what we want to do. With the wind in your hair and blasting Justin Bieber, the open road just isn't something you can get in the city.
11. It's a place where everybody knows your name.
OK, not totally true. But even if you are from a large, suburban town, there's something familiar about it. There's a predictable crowd at your local diner and you can most likely guess when your local gym is going to be most crowded. And there's something indescribably nice about the familiar.
