For those of you who live in Orange County or surrounding areas?

The OC and surrounding areas are beautiful. There is an abundance of parks, beaches, and museums etc. Southern California is one of the most unique places on earth because you can go snow boarding (the mountains), surfing (the beach), and dirt bike riding (the desert) without much planning because they are all located within an hour or two drive of where you live. There is not scum in the OC because of the high price of real estate. Also, gangs are a thing of life no matter where you go. However, they are not prominent in the OC or surrounding areas. Even in places such as LA gangs are very mild. If you aren't blatantly doing something they will not bother you. You will enjoy the weather because it is sunny most of the year and temperatures are typically very mild. I hope that you make the decision to move to California and go to college here because it is truly beautiful.