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Nor
Cal, So Cal — can’t we all
just get along?
Tamiko
Panzella
All
throughout High School, I, a Northern
California native, wanted to go to college
in Southern California — So Cal,
the land of surfers and movie stars,
where everyone lives like the kids on “The
O.C.” and “Laguna Beach.”
The irony is, being from California myself, I would always get upset when people
from the rest of the country believed those stereotypes to be true of all of
California.
During my first semester at Cal State Long Beach, I kept true to my preconceived
notions about Southern Californians. Living in the dorms, I was surrounded
by plenty of bleached blondes who partied almost every night and seemed to
be obsessed with their sororities.
This was all the proof I needed to confirm my presuppositions. I was happy
to report to my friends and family that I was glad to be a Nor Cal native,
and that, although it would be fun to live down south for a few years, I was
definitely returning home after college.
However, after being home for nearly three months, I have come to the realization
that the residents of each part of California are not all that different. It
hit me when I was at a party last weekend. My friend and I walked in, and,
not knowing anyone, we began to mingle.
We immediately encountered a group of girls, dressed to the nines in stiletto
heels and with hairstyles and makeup that looked like they took hours of preparation.
They were rude, to say the least.
After some unsuccessful attempts at small talk, met with uncomfortable giggles
and a few raised eyebrows, we decided to move on. As we were walking away,
my friend whispered to me, “I feel like I’m back in San Diego.”
Fashion is one of many differences. Before moving to Southern California, Seven
jeans were nothing more than a brand name in various magazines. The girls in
the dorms introduced me to Citizens, Rock and Republic, Paper Denim, and countless
other designer brands that I can’t keep track of.
Besides the jeans, though, fashions are surprisingly similar. Wherever you
go, flip flops, layering, Abercrombie & Fitch, and oversized sunglasses
are the standard.
Music is an area in which Northern and Southern Californians differ greatly.
I had never heard the term “Bay Area Rap” until I left the bay
area. I figured that, excluding a few local bands, everyone listened to the
same music.
However, I soon found that instead of getting “Hyphy” in Nor Cal,
I was getting “Crunk” in So Cal.
It’s fascinating to realize how diverse our own state is in terms of
everything. The people, the places, — it’s a wonder we don’t
need a passport to travel our own state as native strangers in strange lands.
Tamiko Panzella is a sophomore journalism major. |
