Regardless of what terrorists, their sympathizers, and the recent attacks may have have you believe, France remains the beautiful and culturally rich country we have always known. For this, and much more, Paris and neighboring cities should be your destination for a study abroad trip to Europe.

When people think of a trip to France, their bucket list usually includes the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Champs, and, occasionally, Montmartre and Sacré Coeur. As a someone who has had experience with studying in Paris for two years (and has never gone up the Eiffel Tower, nor made it through all exhibitions at the Louvre), I can attest to the fact that there's so much more to the beautiful City of Lights. And I don't just mean the famed Catacombs and "escargots".

So here are 10 reasons why Paris should be at the top of your list of potential European cities in which to study away from home:

1. You'll be as cool as J.K Rowling!

J.K. Rowling being honored by former French president.

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child writer studied in France for a period of time studying the language and often praises the country for the time she enjoyed there in her youth. However, she's the only celebrity who has experienced France's cultural richness and loved it! Others include the Limitless and American Sniper star Bradley Cooper, who was enamored by the language.

2. Paris is in need of love right now.

I was in Paris on the 7th of January 2015 when two attackers raided the headquarters of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and opened fire, killing 12 people including 4 of the cartoonists. When word of the tragedy got around, I was at school in my art class. As I looked around, the fear of my fellow artists was apparent; one of freedoms had been threatened. For the following weeks, I could feel the tension, sorrow, and anger expressed by almost everyone in the city. The Charlie Hebdo attack, and the terrorist acts that followed, has left the whole city if not the country in mourning for the past years. For this reason, I believe France is need of love and nothing says "I adore you in all your ways" like taking residence in the City of Love.

3. Alright fine, architecture.

I tried staying away from stating Paris' buildings as a reason to cop a place in one of its Beaux-Arts-type apartments. However, you cannot talk about Paname (the nickname you'll use for Paris as a Parisian), without mentioning the duality of its classical and modern architecture. Paris is imbued with a beautiful juxtaposition in its buildings. This can be as subtle as a shop within a classical home-turned-appartment building, or as explicit as the contrast between the center of the city (home to Paris' most notable Beaux-Art architecture) and the business district of La Defense (where skyscrapers boast their grandeur).

4. Early morning train rides will make you tolerate Mondays.

After the long, walks to the Metro, my favorite part of the morning is the train ride itself. The early morning ride is a great time to engage in some introspection. The silence and emptiness of the Metro, anytime before 7am, allows for some peaceful meditation and appreciation of life. As a creative, I greatly treasured this moment. I used the time of the ride to create...either that or to finish homework I was too lazy to finish the night before. Regardless of how you make use of this peaceful moment, it's a time to cherish.

In addition, if you are lucky and your route requires you to take a metro that exists the subway, you will be blessed with the most golden of sunrises every morning (Instagram filtered view not guaranteed).

5. Paris is a giant canvas for street artists.

Artist JR's exhibition "JR at the Louvre"

Another moniker for the city is the City of Art, and rightfully so. With its many, historical museums filled with chef d'oeuvres from the world's greatest artist, it is no surprise that Paris is at the forefront of the art world. However, while there, I was exposed to another, less known, world of art: street art. On my constant walks through the city's hidden spots, I discovered pieces more beautiful than any work held in a museum. Paris truly is a vast canvas to the street artists that claim its space.

One of these artists is Le Diamentaire and thanks to him you can play a game of spot the diamond all through the city, as he has dressed it in hundreds of gems. Paris' street art empire is the Place de la République which is located in the 3rd, 10th, and 11th arrondissement. A walk through this neighborhood will be eye candy and #InstagramWorthy in more ways than any classical museum can, and this for free!

6. A foodie's paradise.

Grecque

If, like me, food is for you life and love, then Paris is definitely the best place to study as a food. As the setting for Disney's Ratatouille, of all references, Paris is littered with culinary delights. If you expect me to point you to the best crêpe and oyster places, I am sorry to disappoint but some of the best foods in France are not quite, French. One oh-so-stereotypical Parisian food is the Grecque (Greek), or kebab. Just as it is a place for the best street art, Paris is also the number one destination for street food. I remember every lunch brake, after hours of half listening, half sleeping through class sessions, I would head to the school's cafeteria. And, if you thought American caf food was terrible, you have not yet had that of a Franco-American cafeteria. Thankfully, I was introduced to the local kebab place, and from there on, my life was changed. My "bros" and I would take the risk of spending our lunch walking to and from the place everyday. There's no one place I can personally recommend, but the area of Saint Denis is home to the greatest North African population and, consequently, tons of kebab places.

Thiéboudienne

Other foods that are to die for are West African foods such as the Senegalese dish thiéboudienne. Full of grease, but also deliciousness, the dish is composed of rice, a variety of vegetables, and chicken or fish. One plate of thiéboudienne will keep you full for a day! The area known for its abundance of West African restaurants is Paris' 18th arrondissement, specifically the neighborhoods of Chateau Rouge and Barbès. In addition, you can eat a full meal of both foods for as cheap as 5 euros. Not bad eh!

7. Safe haven.

You always hear that Paris is one of the safest cities in the world. Though many other cities have been ranked much higher for their safety, I concur that Paris is a safe place, if not in terms of crime, for more abstract reasons. I came to Paris with the mindset that, at least at the time, it was safer than the U.S. or Gabon (another country where I've spent a lot of time). This was during the Trayvon Martin case when I was made aware of the reality that is blacks dying at the hands of police officers. At the same time, in Gabon several teenagers were being abducted and killed for odd, sinister rituals. With all this going on, it only made sense to call Paris my safe haven. Compared to the United States and Gabon, in Paris I could walk around the city late at night and enjoy its beauty on a daily basis. But then, terrorism hit, and with the lives of the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists went my feeling of safety. Not only did I fee violated as an artist, but I truly felt like a piece of me was stolen. I witnessed the city go from the glorious promote of free expression I had known, to a fearful place, with the influx of military officials dispatched all through the city.

However, this does not make Paris unsafe to visit. As it turns out, you are actually as likely to get crushed by home appliances as you are to get killed from a terror attack. Furthermore, no city in Europe is more prone to terrorism than the other; surprisingly, regardless of immigration laws, all European cities are at the same risk. With that in mind, of all those cities, Paris will provide you with the support to deal with such fear and anger. The community that I found there during those times transcends ethnicity and nationality.

8. The legal age is 16.

I want to preface this by saying, drink with moderation, smoke with style (not at all actually), and don't let this be what draws you to this beautiful city. That being said, it does not hurt to not that in France, the legal age to engage in all the typical teenage mischief (smoking, drinking, clubbing) is 16! At 16, teens are allowed to drink no-no juice (wine) and beer. However, you must be 18 consume liquors (however, a 16yr old can quite easily be served rum). 16 year olds are allowed into clubs, but are still required to show id. As the youngest looking guy you will ever meet, at 19 I can still pass for a 15 year old. So I was shocked when at 18 I was refused entrance into a club.

Wanderlust

As the respectable young man I am, of course, I didn't start going to clubs until I turned 18. Ok, 17. And when, one night, my cousins and I decided to head to a club, because as Drake's motto goes "Clubbing hard...ain't much to do", boredom ensued. So we ventured out into the city at 12am, catching the last metro with the goal of only returning home the next morning. When we arrived at the place, I was ready to play the young enough card, armed with my passport and a deeper voice. My older cousins showed their id and were allowed entrance. When it came to my and another cousin's turn, the bouncer did not even ask for our card and simply said, nope. Despite this incident, access to clubs at 16 is not an issue, let alone 18. Some clubs I recommend for a great night of "turn up" (as the youth says) are Le Duplex on Foch and Wanderlust in Paris' business district. Other famed clubs are Showcase and the boat club Batofar on the Seine. As the City of Lights Paris definitely surpasses expectations, and that even more so come nightfall.

9. Night walks.

Night walks through Paris are the greatest! During my time there, I often ventured around my neighborhood at night. Sometimes in search of a McDonalds, other times just to think. It is during those walks that I discovered much of the city, but also myself. Not to sound overly influenced by Paris' romanticism, but the beauty that I was exposed to during my night walks through the city allowed me to find my purpose. I truly believe that exploring Paris' nooks and crannies will bring about a certain joy and fulfillment.

Aside from the artsy type, Parisian night walks can really benefit anyone. Lord knows how many times I experienced writer's block and was only able to complete my English essays after some procrastination and a walk along the Seine.

10. Getting flirty with the Iron Lady.

Last, but definitely not least, the Eiffel Tower. I know, I tried. The thing is, the Iron Lady is Paris' most prominent landmark. It's easier to tell someone "meet me under the tower" than "I'm on Rue de Berri and, wait..."

With its Champs de Mars park, the Eiffel Tower was my go to hang out place for late night "chills" (in the urban sense, not the proper sense). It offers a great setting for reveling in your new-found freedom. Champs de Mars was my school's traditional spot for beginning the year. The bottom of the tower was also great to hold dance battles, new year celebrations. Furthermore, once night falls, the Iron Lady winks at you every hour on the hour for 5 straight minutes. This is a beautifully special way to call it a night and schedule another render-vous for the next night.

From Paname, the City of Love, with LOVE!