ATL

When I moved in to Village C West my freshman year, there were a couple of people on my floor who wore bracelets/had posters/wore t-shirts that said "ATL" on them.  So I was all "You're from Atlanta?  I'm from kind-of Atlanta! Let's be BEST FRAAANDZ!" because it that's just what freshmen do when they find other freshmen they have something even remotely in common with.  "You went to China last summer?  OHMAHGOSH I just found, like, five soy sauce packets in the common room kitchen that have probs been in there since 1998!  We are like, the SAME person!"

Turns out, these neighbors weren't from Atlanta - the ATL plastered across all their stuff was for a band called All Time Low.  I was a wee bit disappointed, except not really, because the band is awesome.  And how sucky would it be to go so far away from college and just end up surrounded by people from the place you came from?

SO.  I'm from kinda near this ATL:

I have little to no interest in anything involving "gangsta grillz."  So Atlanta is fun for the aquarium and Braves games and stuff - but it's a totally different place from East Cobb.  East Cobb is fun for .... Waffle House, and pretending to care about football.  It's where the southeast shops for prom and pageant gowns, and yes, there IS a difference.  That was another adjustment during freshman year. "You mean you've never been laced into a corset by a woman who probably did permanent damage to your rib cage? Or worn a gown with a skirt so large that it took up all three back row seats of a station wagon?" 

My neighbors probably thought I was from this ATL:

Whenever you tell someone you're from outside of Atlanta, they love to tell you "Oh, I've been in that airport." If you have been to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and Neon Polyester Hair Weave Capital of America...you haven't really experienced the city, let alone the state.  The airport is also known for having a big (and real!) dinosaur skeleton in the middle of the entrance to security.  I guess that's a good of a place as any to keep your dinosaur?  The airport is also known for being huuuuuuge.  And yet, no matter where you are, you are never more than 5 yards away from someone eating something covered in ranch dressing.  Eww.

Anyway, I have now joined the hordes of Georgetown students who really like this ATL:

They just released a new album, too!  Here's one of my favorites from it:

I'm headed back to my house in almost-ATL tomorrow, for the first time since right after graduation. (That sounds like a long time to be away from home, but there's been a trip to the Florida house in between, plus the Europe trip, plus the RNC, plus my parents coming up to visit...the point of me telling you all of this is that I'm a spoiled brat and you should really not feel bad for me at all.)  But really...I am SO excited.

We're doing a pretty relaxed Thanksgiving and then driving to South Carolina on Friday to tailgate the Clemson/USC football game.  My whole family is going, plus my grandparents live right by Clemson, plus our best family friends are the cutest family of four and all four went to Clemson, plus my bff from GW is going and her boyfriend goes to USC, plus some of the LaxBro's brofriends, plus some guys that Daddy Bito knows from work, plus my friends from home who are USCeniors, and so on...it's gonna be one heck of a party.  And everyone knows that these SEC games are really just cocktail parties held in a stadium...so...the next question is, whatever shall I wear?!?!

That's not seriously a question.  I've had it planned for weeks in advance.  DUH.

Happy Turkey Day, Y'all!
-AM