I remember arriving at Pomona on the first day of freshman orientation. I’d left the house, with my parents and my brother, to get to campus via car and arrived within 15 minutes of departing.
My roommate arrived hours late because of some plane delay stuff.
After being here for about three months, I’ve realized that I really love living so close to Pomona. I go home about every week to attend Sunday mass with my family, and from there I eat out with them and then hang out at home. Some of my Pomona friends haven’t gone home since arriving at college.
I have compiled a nice list of things that I have come to appreciate.
Why I Love Being From Here
1) I say I’m from Ontario, and people automatically think I’m Canadian.
2) I get to do my laundry at home without having to spend Claremont Cash.
3) I can’t drive yet, so I get to go on shopping trips with my mother to get supplies for my dorm almost weekly.
4) I know the area pretty well, so I get to act cool and help my friends discover what there is to offer at places such as LA.
5) I’ve gone to visit my high school during school hours to see everyone trapped there forever I’ve left.
6) I get to brag about the nice weather while my friends who’ve left for the East complain about foreign cold flakes falling from the heavens.
7) I know where to get good food.
8) I get to visit places that hold memories of my high-school days and reminisce.
9) When my friends come back for break, I get to show them around Pomona.
10) If I ever get homesick, I get to go home.
11) If I ever get sick, I get to go home.
12) If sick ever gets home, I get to go get. (no)
13) I get to grow up independent of my family while also being able to see them from time to time.
14) I don’t need to pay for expensive plane tickets during the holidays.
15) I am Californian: fine, fresh, fierce, I’ve got it on lock.
Surely, there are many great things about going to a college far away from you. I haven’t really had a sense of adventure or thrill, I didn’t arrive via airplane to make my arrival all dramatic, I won’t get to experience new weather. But hey… can’t argue with #15.