At some point during the college admissions process, all seniors are met with an important question: “Are you looking to go to any schools out-of-state?” And while some of my fellow seniors may be eager to go out and explore new, unfamiliar lands—I am not. As I applied to colleges, I made the executive decision to exclusively apply to schools in California. I mean, I respect the decision to move away and all, but why would you want to live anywhere else? As a self-proclaimed California devotee, here are just a few reasons as to why I love the Golden State.

In-N-Out

Need I say more? I cannot think of a time in my life where In-N-Out failed to lift my spirits. There is truly nothing better than a classic In-N-Out burger, and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t frown at the thought of moving to a state where no one had ever heard the words “Animal Style” before.

Beautiful scenery

Beaches, mountains, and deserts? This state has it all! Not to sound like a travel brochure, but seriously, where else can you go from the sandy beach to the snow-capped mountains to the vast desert all in one day? Though I haven’t actually gone on such an excursion, at least I could if I wanted to. Plus, living within 20 minutes of the beach automatically makes summer a million times better. I can’t even imagine having two months off of school and not being able to go to the beach—that sounds horrid.

Iconic cities

There’s a reason so many TV shows and movies are set in California, and it’s because this state is the place to be. Think about it, some kid in Wyoming probably has a postcard of the Hollywood Sign and pictures of palm trees on their vision board, dreaming of someday making it out west. Meanwhile, I could go shopping down Melrose and have a good chance of running into a celebrity. 

Disneyland

I LOVE Disneyland, and I’m lucky to live in the state with the happiest place on Earth. Sure, Floridians have Disney World, but you know how sequels are just never as good as the original movie? That’s how I feel. At Disneyland, I go out of my way to look like a local, and I honestly giggle while watching tourists take touristy pictures.

A certain kind of superiority complex comes with living in California—but for good reason. California is simply the best state EVER, and I’m glad that I chose to stay for college. To anyone leaving to go anywhere else, good luck. I’ll be keeping track of how long you last without a double-double…