First Home, Forever Home

Suburbs shoulder to shoulder with US Highway 27 - Google Maps

I would have never imagined myself saying I miss Florida’s suburban, monotonous  neighborhoods, yet they were the most comforting view from the plane. 

Throughout all high school, my driving force to apply to college was to leave Florida,  more specifically, Orlando. I could not bear the blazing heat for longer, much less the incessant  traffic on I-4 after school. The absence of public transport and vast distances between  destinations made owning a car essential, which disproportionately impacts those with lower  incomes. The copy-and-paste architecture of suburban neighborhoods frustrated me as  contractors desolated once blossoming fields of flora and fauna to install cheaply built single family homes. What struck me hardest was when I realized how disadvantaged small businesses  are because of interminable highways with random plazas scattered throughout, where people stop for just gas and fast food. 

However, coming to Penn highlighted the redeemable aspects of the Sunshine State,  those that triumph over the negative qualities. 

I missed the communities most. After my parents migrated from Puerto Rico, they raised  me in Kissimmee, and I moved more than ten times throughout the city during my childhood.  My friends turned siblings as we rode our bikes late in the evening while our parents played  dominos. Seeing them now at family gatherings brings back the memories ingrained in my mind.  I learned the value of family at a young age, which now translates to my passion for supporting  others. 

When the sun comes out after a rainy day in Philly, I remember the sun that shone on  beach days, barbecues, birthday parties, and other events spent with friends and family. Stopping  to buy a coffee before my first class reminds me of my experience working at Starbucks near  Disney, where I was introduced to tourists from around the world and shared unforgettable  conversations with them. And listening to my favorite song elicits flashbacks of me and my  friends singing along to the radio on our way to school. 

I admit, I miss Florida’s suburban, monotonous neighborhoods. Although there is  objectively less community in Florida because of insular blueprints that engender self-oriented  lifestyles, my attachments prompt me to romanticize its flaws. Florida is my first home, where I  celebrated getting into college, failed my driver’s test (twice), and took my first step. As Florida  preserves its irredeemable features, I will cherish the memories I have had.