“You’re really from Hawaii?”

“Really!”

“And you came here?”

“Yes.”

“Why would you come all the way over here?”

After the initial surprise and awe at the truth of my hometown, the reaction quickly evaporates into confusion. Why I would travel 4,000 miles away from the beaches, beauty and bountiful sunshine of Hawaii to spend nine months out of the year studying in a place that-some would say-has none of the three?

If my decision concerned the weather, I would have transferred home a long time ago, to no longer fretting that my nose will fall off in the bitter cold. The truth is, I don’t find the state university system in Hawaii all that stellar, and neither of the private institutions (Hawaii Pacific University or Chaminade University) appealed to me-US News and World Report doesn’t give them the best rankings. I didn’t frequent, or even like, the beach as much as people think I should have (though I do admit that beaches are one of the simple pleasures in life). Surfing and sand are incommensurable with general nerdiness. Hawaii does have spectacular scenery, but the islands are not the only place to find such sublimity. Right here in St. Louis, the Missouri Botanical Gardens showcase breathtaking flora and recently hosted a very neat and authentic Japanese festival on Labor Day weekend.

I never tell people all of this when they first ask about my home. Instead, I unravel the whole chain of events starting with my visit to Washington University in St. Louis and, since St. Louis is really far away, my father’s desire to see another St. Louis college besides Wash U. That’s where Saint Louis University came in. The shopping, the food and the diversity of the St. Louis population differs so much from Hawaii.

I only applied to those two universities. Wash U wait-listed me, but SLU accepted me with a rather generous scholarship. Even the story of my arrival is a mouthful-a canned story that I sometimes feel comes out a little more robotic each time I tell it. But that administrative tale isn’t the entire the story and is by far the least interesting.

Why did I come to St. Louis to pursue a degree that I could have earned in a place much closer and meteorologically more comfortable than SLU? Anyone in his or her right mind would stay in Hawaii, especially during the winter months. But why would anyone leave to go to the Midwest United States? Let me give you some reasons:

In St. Louis, the symphony at Powell Hall is worth the trip, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show plays live every year around Halloween.

In St. Louis, the squirrels, ducks and SLU’s statues all come out to play, while the Cardinals win the World Series.

In St. Louis, there resides White Castle, Jimmy John’s and the infamous Del Taco.

In St. Louis the tap water goes down as smoothly as the surface of Grand Boulevard

In St. Louis the people are usually friendly, and it isn’t difficult to avoid the unfriendly parts of town.

In St. Louis one can actually find a ghetto, actually go to a city and actually live in suburbs.

In St. Louis, people call them flip-flops, eat Ramen and biscuits and gravy instead of saimin, egg rolls instead of lumpia. People here give directions and locations according to the cardinal directions of the compass.

In St. Louis, I have a boyfriend, an on-campus apartment, clubs to fill my resume, friends to cruise the streets with and thousands of fun stories to tell.

Yes, I’m from Hawaii, and Hawaii will always be my home, but St. Louis is my life. When others ask, “How the mainland is treating you?” I can answer “Awesomely” with honesty. College life is more than ok.

And that is why I came all the way over here.

Like any college student, I also like getting away from the parental units.

Allison Reilly is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.