For the first seven months, I hated Georgia. I HATED it. I dreamed of the day I could drive back into the cool, crisp comfort of the north, surrounded by the fluttering flurries of the first snow as I curled myself into a big blanket with a cup of hot coco and a book in my hand. Instead, I was stuck down here, in the heavy, humid air and the relentless bugs swarming around my head as I walked to class. I really thought Georgia would never feel like home.
Slowly, almost unnoticeably, things began to change. While my parents were calling me, complaining about the snow blower not working and needing to shovel the multiple feet of the heavy, white powder off of the driveway, I was lazily swaying in my hammock, shamelessly wearing shorts, a tee shirt, and my Birkenstocks in mid-February.
After giving up on my vegetarian lifestyle, I discovered a love for good ol’ southern cookin’. I’m talking BBQ, Zaxby’s, Chick-Fil-A, Cookout, and the holy grail of southern food – Hush Puppies. Pair any of these wonderful meal options with a big glass of sweet tea, and I’m in heaven.
As sad as I was to part with the copious outdoor adventure opportunities that were available in northwest New Jersey, there’s so much to do down here in the south that I truly can’t complain. Mount Arabia, Stone Mountain, and Chattahoochee national forest give me places to hike, run, and mountain bike to my heart’s content. And, as I explained above, it’s warm year-round, meaning the fun never really has to stop.
I realized how much I love Georgia last weekend, while I was riding around with my windows down, country music blaring, singing at the top of my lungs. Sure, Georgia has it’s flaws, but so does every other state. I’m not sure if it’s the balmy temperature, the endless options of comfort food, the opportunities for outdoor adventures, or a combination of everything, but Georgia, you’re really starting to feel like home.