When picking colleges, I visited many. I loved all their campuses but College of Charleston was the one. Walking around Calhoun St., I just had a feeling and I knew that Charleston was going to be my new favorite city.

Well I was right. Four years later, here I am taking it all in, wondering how a city could be so beautiful and so full of life. Charleston is my happy place and it always will be, no matter where I end up.

Everything about Charleston is incredible. I cannot imagine a better place to spend my college career. Although Charleston drains my bank account just about every week, those bank-account draining restaurants and bars are part of what makes it so great.

If you’re a foodie, Charleston is the place for you. It’s got restaurants out the wazoo. If I had the money, I could’ve eaten at a different restaurant every week for the past four years. As much as I would’ve liked to do that, my bank account just won’t allow for that one. Maybe one day. A girl can dream, right?

Moving on to something cheaper than the food here, we have the scenery. That is free! Driving or walking, there is plenty of sights to see while in Charleston. The battery, walking distance away from campus, offers an amazing view of the water and an even better spot to tan if you can’t get to the beach.

Ah, the beach. Well, the beaches. Plural. How crazy is it to live in a city, but also get the luxury of hopping over to the beach with just a 15-minute drive? Well, I will tell you.

I have spent way too much time at the beach. Time I should have spent studying was spent eating a cheeseburger at the Washout on Folly Beach. In the grand scheme of things, I would never trade that cheeseburger for anything. Not even an A+.

To be honest, I have taken Charleston for granted. I find myself stuck in traffic, cursing the city because I am just a tad impatient. I get frustrated with tourists walking slowly in front of me on my way to class because they don’t get to see sights like this every day. I am annoyed with long waits at my favorite restaurants on a Friday night.

Do I wish I would’ve walked to the Battery at sunset more often? Or went on the swings at Waterfront Park on a nice fall day? Yes, absolutely. But, I didn’t. So, for the years to come that I will spend in this beautiful city, I vow to do these things more often. I vow to try more restaurants, even if my debit card does not want to. I vow to visit the Angel Oak even though you can’t sit on a branch for a picture.

Thank you, Charleston, for not only the past four years, but for the next few years to come. I truly appreciate your beauty.