LA to Chicago
Growing up a mere 30 minutes outside of LA sounds like a dream to some. And for a while, it was. As an avid concertgoer, being so close to Los Angeles was perfect. I was able to see tons of my favorite artists live, and even meet YouTubers on occasion.
While I did enjoy SoCal, especially the warm weather year-round, I still craved something more. Ever since seventh grade I proudly proclaimed that I would attend college out of state. However, my mind then was set on colleges only on the West Coast. Up until sophomore year of high school, I was sure I would end up in either Oregon or Washington, and at the absolute furthest, Colorado. It was not until the beginning of my junior year did I truly research where in the U.S. I wanted to settle for my four years of college.
After countless hours of researching colleges on the West Coast, I decided to go out on a limb and research schools in Chicago. I immediately discovered DePaul and decided to apply on a whim. A few short months later I received my acceptance letter.
My first time visiting DePaul was surreal. I visited during the last week of February 2019, catching the tail end of winter. Though the weather was unbearable for my parents and me, we had so much fun. It was while traveling all through the Loop and up and down the L did I realize DePaul, but more specifically Chicago, would be a perfect fit for me. Before I knew it, I had fallen in love with the city of Chicago.
Fast forward to May 2020, my entire life in college has changed. I, along with all other students living on campus, were suddenly forced to move off campus and take Spring Quarter virtually. Nonetheless, it is still crazy how much I felt at home in Chicago. Living in Lincoln Park and traveling into the city to do all the mandatory touristy activities is my favorite part about attending DePaul. Chicago truly is my campus.