Being a Californian at Franciscan University can be rough at times. There is just so much to miss and I couldn't help but make a list of all those things to help those non-Californians understand our plight. Time to jump into my pain, folks.

#5 The Weather

The weather here in Ohio is radically bipolar. The cold can be bitter and relentless while the heat is humid and heavy. When warm fronts collide with cold fronts it results in flash thunderstorms in the same day the weather was sunny and sweltering hot. Unlike Ohio, the weather in California is absolutely gorgeous. The San Francisco Bay Area particularly is a Goldilocks zone of sorts. It stays in an incredibly comfortable temperature. Dry heat and mild winters are only the tip of the iceberg. My personal favorite aspect of the weather in California is the San Francisco fog. Ah yes; the fog, my dear readers, is a glorious gift from heaven above. A pleasant 80-degree day is instantly chilled in the evening by the cool coastal fog. In other words, it has natural air conditioning folks. People ask me all the time why the cost of living in California is so high, and my answer is always: “You pay for the climate.”

#4 Beaches

My Southern Californian brothers and sisters know more about this longing than I particularly do. Though we have pretty awesome beaches in Northern California, nothing really compares to the exquisite beaches of Monterey, Las Angeles or San Diego. Florida may be the sunshine state, but California is THE GOLDEN STATE. There is a reason why tourists flock to our beaches… It’s because they’re jealous they don’t have beaches like ours back home.

#3 The Culture

People can tell when you’re from California. Being Californian is more of a mindset than an adjective. We “hella” love where we are from. We wear it as a badge of honor. Living in Ohio has its perks, but we deeply miss our culture while we are away from our homes. I don't know how to explain it other than we are a very chill group of individuals. It’s easy to notice that when we meet other Californians at Franciscan it's always a source of immense joy for us. Finding a like-minded person nearly 3000 miles away is like finding diamonds in a coal mine. We always love getting a little taste of home here.

#2 Taco Trucks

Just about every Californian with a decent palate can tell you how incredible taco trucks are. You can smell a taco truck before you even see it. I swear the scent calls to you like in the cartoons. Eating at a taco truck is like eating in the heart of Mexico. The most beautiful thing is that usually there is at least one within a 10-mile radius from where you live so indulging is always a possibility. If you are scratching your head right now because you’ve no idea what a taco truck is, fly to California now, you poor unfortunate soul.

#1 IN-N-OUT

Oh glorious IN-N-OUT, how I miss thee. Every time I eat at this magical eatery I recite Marshall Eriksen’s burger monologue from How I Met Your Mother. If there is one thing I wish I could bring to Steubenville from California it is this burger chain. Getting on the airplane and saying goodbye to double doubles with grilled onions and animal style fries might be the most difficult thing any Californian at Franciscan has to endure.

If you ever wonder why Californians sometimes seem to cry for no reason at Franciscan, most likely one of these things are the cause. I’ll leave you all with that amazing Marshall Eriksen quote I mentioned. Stay gold everyone.

“That first bite—oh, what heaven that first bite is. The bun, like a sesame freckled breast of an angel, resting gently on the ketchup and mustard below, flavors mingling in a seductive pas de deux. And then…a pickle! The most playful little pickle! Then a slice of tomato, a leaf of lettuce and a…a patty of ground beef so exquisite, swirling in your mouth, breaking apart, and combining again in a fugue of sweets and savor so delightful. This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, this is God, speaking to us in food.” – Marshall Eriksen in How I Met Your Mother