I grew up in the suburbs of a big city in Texas and loved every minute of my little bubble. Life was easy, my parents love me, and my friend group was small and tight-knit. I loved growing up 25 minutes from a big city, but being able to get out of it when I felt it was too much. I moved to Lubbock when I was 19 to start my sophomore year of college at Texas Tech, and man how this town has changed me.

1. The traffic.

If you know, you know. Dallas traffic is not to be messed with. The high-five is an area you don not want to find yourself in no matter the day or time of day. Lubbock, on the other hand, has minimal traffic, even at five in the afternoon. I can get from point A to point B in a matter of 20 minutes no matter the distance.

2. The dry air.

Dallas is great and all, but as a person who suffers from allergies, the dry Lubbock air has been a luxury I'm not quite ready to give up. Sure, the dust storms get me sometimes, but I would walk through a dust storm any day if it meant I got to stay in Lubbock.

3. The sunsets.

There is nothing like a west Texas sunset. You will not get a better image of what God can do than in a golden image that sets just above the flat horizon. In Dallas, there's the occasional pretty sky, but nothing compares to the west Texas evenings that make you want to sit on the back porch and watch the sun go down.

4. The school spirit.

I thought my high-school games were big, but Tech is another level. The entire town comes out decked in scarlet and black, ready to cheer on the Red Raiders. Tailgates are everywhere you look, none of which will turn you away. Everyone is willing to meet everyone and watch some ball together.

5. The people.

Lastly but certainly not least, is the people I have met during my time in Lubbock. The people I have been fortunate enough to meet and surround myself with here are those that I always hoped to find when I went to college. I found my people, and my people help me live my best life. I couldn't survive without them.

This west Texas city has turned a city girl on her heels and made me appreciate what it has to offer. I have experienced more being out in Lubbock, Texas than I did in all my years of grade school back in the city. Thank God for Lubbock, and thank God for bringing me here.