What I learned about the East Coast as a Penn Stater from Cali
‘… So why did you choose to come here?’
State College is a beautiful little town that most people don’t have the luxury of exploring unless they’re fortunate enough to go to school here. Lucky for me, I’m one of those people! But it’s definitely not what I’m used to…
As soon as I tell people I’m from Los Angeles, the immediate preceding question is “Why are you here?” The answer is obviously because I’m sick of sunshine and seeing handles of alcohol being sold at CVS/Walgreens/every possible store. Seriously, who needs all that sun and booze?
In all seriousness, State College is one of the most beautiful and scenic towns I’ve ever been to and I’ve come to learn to cherish every moment here whether I am freezing my butt off or screaming my head off at football games with 100,000 of my closest friends. Happy Valley forever.
Here are 25 differences I’ve noticed between the West Coast vs. East Coast:
- (W) TREES. You can not go 10 feet without walking into a Palm tree in LA
- (E) Here, the trees are actually the kind you used to draw as a kid, full of leaves. The type of trees that are eluded to when you’re a kid and think broccoli are baby trees.
- (W) Soda
- (E) POP. I was very confused in the dining hall as a freshman when people asked me about this “pop” I was drinking
- (W) Freeway. Poetic isn’t it?
- (E) Highway
- (W) Any time the temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, all hell breaks loose and people run to REI to buy North Face parkas.
- (E) I’ve seen a guy wearing T-shirt and shorts in 40 degree weather once.
- (W) Boba is an epidemic sweeping the nation. They’re the chewy little tapioca balls in your drink!
- (E) On the East coast, they’re called “bubble tea”
- (W) CVS sells hard liquor an aisle over from adult diapers
- (E) Monopolization of Wine and Spirits, but hey they have an app for it.
- (W) Taco trucks on every corner
- (E) MAD MEX
- (W) IN N OUT. yup.
- (E) Sheetz/ Wawa craze. I never thought I’d experience such a love for gas station food.
- (W) USC/ UCLA rivalry
- (E) PENN STATE/OHIO STATE
- (W) Around Los Angeles, hiking to the Hollywood sign could easily take a turn for a day of celebrity spotting, a photo shoot opportunity or yoga on the lawn
- (E) People are much more serious about outdoor activities. And apparently Hiking Mt. Nittany is at the top of that list.
- (W) Pervasive culture of Rainbow flip flops
- (E) Due to weather constraints, the shoe of choice in the East Coast tends to tip towards UGG boots
- (W) Whole Foods/ Trader Joes love. 10/10 will spend 70% of their paychecks in these stores
- (E) Wegmans seems to be the East coast luxury equivalent
I mean, Penn State is in the East Coast, so which coast is really winning?