I go to school exactly 2,953 miles away from my home town of San Mateo, California. I always dreamed of getting out of there and moving to New York but once I did, I realized that I missed things I never thought I would. San Mateo is a pretty great place, and these are just some of the things I found that I missed when I went to school.

1. Diversity.

The one thing I noticed about going to college was how -- well, white it was. The diversity in the California Bay Area is awesome and growing up learning about so many different cultures is something I took for granted until I didn't have it anymore.

2. The food.

Speaking of diversity and culture, downtown San Mateo has the best assortment of places to eat. The various Japanese, Chinese, Mediterranean, Mexican, Italian, Indian and countless other restaurants are literally five minutes from my house. Not to mention In 'N' Out is always a short drive away.

3. Location, location, location.

San Mateo is 30 minutes from San Francisco, and six hours from Los Angeles. Nothing can beat that.

4. The weather.

San Mateo stays an average 70 degrees in the summer and 52 degrees in the winter -- need I say more?

5. The beach.

It's a 25-minute drive to fun beach days, beautiful sunsets and lots of pretty shells. Oh, and did I mention the whale watching, dolphin sightings and lots and lots of seals?

6. Sports.

It's an even year for the Giants and the Warriors just got KD. Beat that, east coast!

7. Never a dull moment.

There's always something to do around here. Whether it be ending a late night out at In 'N' Out or getting pie at Heidi's, enjoying the weather at Central Park or walking around downtown, going to my favorite restaurant or coffee shop, I love spending time here with my friends and family.