I came for college and won’t leave afterward

Opening the window to my San Diego State apartment this morning I am drawn outside by the warm breeze of the distant Pacific Ocean — 70 degrees and blue skies in April? A dream. Every day I am blissfully reminded why I chose California to complete my first four years of education.

Back home in Boise, Idaho, the temperature has been struggling to reach 60 degrees and snowstorms are still possible as a late spring surprise.

I will admit that Boise is definitely a friendly city and the cheaper option of living for many. Since moving to San Diego, I have begun to experience the struggles of high

housing costs, taxes and threats of common natural disasters that people who live in California combat seasonally.

In Idaho, I see the influx of Californians looking for a cheaper state to raise their families and escape the high prices of living, and I get it. According to the Census Bureau, in 2019 there were 1,004 moves per 100,000 residents from California to Idaho, which was the second highest ratio in the country right after Nevada.

People are also leaving the state to move to places like Nevada and Washington, where the cost of living is also considerably lower. For a young family looking to settle down, I can see moving out of state being a smart move in order to save money and potentially worry less about things such as earthquakes and extreme wildfires.

Although leaving the Golden State may sound appealing to the wallet, there is still a reason why living in California is regarded as a dream and has been for centuries. Being able to drive 15 minutes to the beach after a long day of classes or work and then just a few hours up to the mountains is the perfect nature experience that you can’t get anywhere else.

In addition, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, California leads the country in agriculture with more than 25.6 million acres of land dedicated to farming production, which allows us to have fresh fruit and vegetables all year round coming from our very state. With Mexico directly to the south and the coastline drawing people from all over the map, it is also easy to find diverse culture in languages, food and people.

Although states such as Idaho and Texas may appeal to those in search of lower housing rates and taxes, I think I’ll stick with my new state where I can appreciate the 70-degree breeze blowing through the beautiful landscapes filled with fresh fruit and diverse communities.