When I moved to Delaware, all I wanted was Frank’s Pizza. Chances are that statement means nothing to you unless you are from my prosaic hometown in Pennsylvania. Frank’s is a small pizzeria tucked inside a lousy strip mall just around the corner from my house. No matter how many pizza joints I scoped out in my new city, none of them held a candle to my beloved hometown staple.Â
What I’m getting at here is that you truly cannot appreciate something until it’s no longer available to you. When I was in high school, I dreamed about leaving my town and starting fresh in a new state. That is not to say I wanted to erase my current life, but having a clean slate in a new state sounded surprisingly refreshing to me. I assumed that most of my friends felt this way at the time given that they were all making plans to move away too. What I did not take into account was how desperately I’d miss the home that I once longed to escape. Moving back home was the best decision I ever made. My love for my hometown was stronger and louder than ever, and I pray I never take it for granted again. In a way, this is both an apology and a love letter to my home.Â
hidden gems
Ever since I moved back home, I have taken advantage of the “hidden gems” that this beautiful state has to offer. Instead of sitting in my room and moping about how there is nothing to do (which is most definitely what high school me was doing), I did some light research and discovered that this state actually has everything to do. As soon as I moved back to my hometown, I discovered just how much love it deserved but never got.
The versatility of Pennsylvania is severely underrated. One day I could be in the Little Switzerland of America, Jim Thorpe, and the next I could be catching the train to visit Wonderspaces of Philadelphia. So, I did just that. I visited state parks, small towns and villages, and different parts of the city in order to capture the feeling of city girl versus Gilmore girl.Â
If you also feel like you may be losing sight of just how unique your hometown/state is, don’t pack a bag just yet. Check out some of the less advertised attractions your area has to offer! I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
go birds
Throughout my childhood and adolescent years, “GO BIRDS” or “GO PHILS” was chanted in my ear incessantly. Okay, yeah, go Birds, I thought to myself, not truly understanding the gravity of that statement. It wasn’t until I catapulted myself into a state that didn’t even have professional sports teams that I truly started to appreciate Philly sports culture.Â
When I moved back home, Philly red and Kelly green seeped into my wardrobe, unapologetically. “GO BIRDS” and “GO PHILS” became a paramount part of my vocabulary. I began to understand just how romantic Philly sports are. The emotion, passion, and energy of the athletes and the fanbase is an experience I regret missing out on growing up. However, my overcompensated adoration for these teams and this city makes the experience that much sweeter and richer.Â
I think many people would argue that PA and its towns are mundane. I’m not here to refute that point. A lot of them are mundane, but that’s part of why I love it. I grew up on a quiet street with quiet neighbors who weren’t friendly with each other. As a result, I made friends with the kids from the adjacent neighborhoods. We filled our childhood summers with kickball, manhunt, and any other game that kept us from going home. So, aside from the hidden gems and passionate sports culture, my hometown also gave me my forever friends, something that another town simply would not be able to replace. Remind me again why I was in such a rush to leave?