Before I begin I have to admit something. I was not always in love with Atlanta the way that I'm in love with it now. By the time I was seven, we had lived in five states and finally settled in Roswell, Georgia in 2003. My parents lived in Georgia before I was born, literally moving right beforehand. They always talked about it fondly, but it took me about 10 years of living here to realize how amazing it is and leaving it for college to truly cherish it. Here are just a few of the many reasons why I have an incredible amount of Peach State Pride.

1. We have the world's largest aquarium.

For the first 15 years of my life I was set on being a marine biologist and making documentaries. I feel most at peace when I'm in the ocean. There is something about it that is so soothing. There are only two things in it that scare me: eels and sea snakes. Everything else about it is perfect. The Georgia Aquarium has it all. It's amazing.

2. You can find a Chick-fil-a every five miles or so.

For those of us in the South, Chick-fil-a is essentially manna from Heaven. There are few substances more satisfying than warm chicken minis before 10:30 am or perfectly fried french fries or a just juicy enough chicken sandwich. My college is at least 40 minutes from the closest Chick-fil-a. I have been home on summer break for less than 24 hours and have already eaten some. I live for hearing "My pleasure."

3. I can be in the middle of the city in 45 minutes one direction and the middle of a lake in the other direction.

I love spending time in Atlanta. The cool thing about it is that it has places for all generations and it has basically for forever. Places like Little Five Points and events like Music Midtown are geared more towards Millenials, while the Zoo, Aquarium and World of Coke are there for families. Atlantic Station also has places for people of all ages to enjoy. As for the lake, both of my parents spent their twenties skiing on Michigan lakes, boating and jet skiing. While the ocean is my favorite body of water, the lake is a close second. Skiing on glass at 7 am is one of the most satisfying feelings ever.

4. Historic Roswell's Alive After Five.

Starting in the summer and going through early fall, Historic Roswell hosts Alive After Five on the third Thursday of each month. Food trucks, live music, great eateries and a plethora of art galleries and quirky boutiques are packed with people. They block off Canton St. and it's one big southern lovin' shindig.

5. They're small enough that you can't go to Target without seeing someone you know, but still huge.

I love, love, love how friendly my city is. Roswell had 94,034 as of 2013, making it the 7th largest city in Georgia, but I kid you not. I can't go to the Target near my house without seeing someone (besides the employees, ha ha) that I know. You make small talk, find out what has happened in their life since you last saw them at the store and then keep making your way to the produce. I love it.

6. Baseball games at the Ted.

While I am first and foremost a die hard St. Louis Cardinals fan, I also love cheering for the Braves. The first professional baseball game I ever attended was when I was eight at Turner field. The best part about Braves games is that you can buy a $7 nose-bleed section ticket and still have a blast. Baseball games at the Ted are soon to be a thing of the past. This is its last season as Suntrust Park in Marietta will have its first season in 2017. Chop on Braves fans.

7. The awesome school districts.

When my parents first lived in Georgia they were about 45 minutes north of where we are now. When they decided to move back with me they specifically moved to Fulton County because the schools were known for being so good. Side note: Go BT, Go BT, Go!

8. So, so much History.

Georgia was obviously one of the 13 original colonies and there are homes that survived Sherman's mark. Martin Luther King Jr. has a home south of the city that now acts a museum. The Margaret Mitchell House, home of the author of Gone with the Wind, is a museum, too. We have the High Museum of Art and tons more Historical Sites all over.

9. All the access to live music.

From Music Midtown to Shaky Knees to huge attendances at Phillips Arena to all the Country Concerts in the summertime, rarely do big name artists pass up the opportunity to perform in Atlanta. A huge number of country artists (Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band, etc) have their roots in Georgia which makes outdoor summer concerts at Verizon Wireless and Lakewood Amphitheaters something difficult to pass up. Not to mention, a bunch of big labels are also located here.

I could go on and on but that would take too much space. Super glad I'm writing this from home because otherwise I'd cry myself to sleep at the fact that I wasn't here. God Bless America and God Bless the Peach State.