Growing up, everyone said Chicago was a scary city. There were criminals. It wasn't safe. And maybe that's true. But when I went to Chicago, scary was the last word on my mind.

I'm from Cleveland, which is a big city in itself. Yet, Chicago is more fun, more alive. It feels more like a community instead of just a bunch of buildings and businesses. In Chicago, people were playing music on the street, helping people, or even just trying to strike up a conversation.

I've never really loved the city. I've always wanted to live out in the country, away from all of the hustle and bustle. But in all honestly, Chicago made me want to be in the heart of the city. Sure, the traffic is absolutely horrendous and it's insanely crowded. People are always busy and always have somewhere to go. But they take moments out of their busy lives to notice someone on the street. They take a moment to "stop and smell the roses". That's the sort of community anybody would be lucky to live in.

I was going to go to college here after I fell in love with the city, but sadly, things don't happen that way. I'm happy where I am now, but I'll always wonder what life would've been like in the Windy City.