I am blessed to say I was born and raised in the wonderful county of Los Angeles. Growing up in Southern California shaped every aspect of my life, in ways I had never even realized until I moved away for college. I'm proud to say I'm from the South Bay and there's no other place I'd rather settle down when the time comes. From growing up just five miles from the beach to being raised in a totally diverse community, Los Angeles County taught me everything I know and offered me a life worth living. So here's to all my LA neighbors and why the City of Angels will forever be the place we call "home."

1. The Dodgers.

There's really nothing better than a Dodger Dog is there? I was born and raised in a crazy, Dodgers-loving family. Emphasis on the crazy. From going to Dodger games since I was two-years-old to talking sports with dad, the Dodgers were constantly a part of my life. I can't even explain how happy I get when I see other students at my university repping their LA pride. There's no other team I'd rather be a fan of.

2. The beach.

I never realized how blessed I was to live ten minutes from the beach until I moved up north where it takes almost an hour drive to see the ocean and where it's too cold to even put your feet in the water. In the beach cities of Los Angeles, like Hermosa Beach or for me, Redondo, the water is warm the majority of the year and the sand is always nice enough to lay on. Not to mention having an ocean view in some of my high school classrooms and walking to the pier for photography class. It blows my mind that some people only go the beach a few times a year and that in some states there are people who have never even seen the ocean. So thank you, mom and dad, for raising me so close to one of God's most beautiful creations.

3. The diversity.

Los Angeles County is by far one of the most diverse counties in California. I still remember my first week at San Jose State, my old roommate had made a comment about how diverse our university is and told me that in her suburban hometown the majority of the population was white. I was shocked and had never even noticed how diverse San Jose was because growing up in Los Angeles, diversity was the norm for me. It had never phased me that in other parts of the state there were cities that were dominated by a specific race.

4. Our Mexican food is bomb.

Okay, maybe I'm a little biased here seeing as how my paternal side of the family are all Hispanics who make bomb Spanish rice and I have a dad who makes the best enchiladas. However, even when I'm not eating my great aunt's famous tamales, Los Angeles Mexican food is quality Mexican food. From El Burrito Jr to El Torasco, to the small taco trucks on the corner of many streets, Los Angeles knows what's up.

5. The weather.

I moved to San Jose thinking that I was prepared to live up North where it's colder. I was wrong. Los Angeles spoiled me with wonderful weeks of 80 degrees and only a few days of rain a year, usually the June Gloom. I was used to two seasons only: summer and spring. I thought I loved the cold until I realized how cold the cold really is.

6. Our laid-back style.

Growing up in the South Bay, I never had to worry about dressing up to go to a restaurant or to the mall. Hell, I never even had to wear heels until high school prom. Los Angeles is so diverse and "out there" that it really doesn't matter if you live in your flip-flops and yoga leggings every day. On the other hand, when you wanted to dress up, it was still totally normal. There's no set style in Los Angeles. You're free to dress as weird or as preppy as possible, and no one will take a second look.

7. There's ALWAYS something to do.

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You can hike the trails of the Donald Trump Golf Course, take a trip to LACMA, or head to the beach for a morning surf. I could go on and on with countless places that are "must-sees" in LA. Needless to say, my summers were always filled with hometown adventures and memories I'll hold onto forever. It's practically impossible to be bored in Los Angeles. I'm 20 years old and still exploring my city.

Growing up in Los Angeles County is a true blessing. From endless adventures to amazing Mexican food, the South Bay gave me my laid back personality and I can't imagine living anywhere else.