Perception of Waco

Growing up if I had been asked where I was going to college the answer was always, "not Baylor."  Ironically,  here I am.  With 15 people in my family having attended Baylor, I always had the intentions of going elsewhere.  From my perspective Waco seemed dirty and ugly and all around boring.  Up until the very last minute of decision making, I had every desire to spend my Freshman year living anywhere but Waco, but the close it got to choosing where I would be, the more that Waco seemed to fit me and just make sense.  I was not excited at Waco in the slightest.  I had always had a view of Waco as being cursed by poverty and having absolutely nothing to do.  There seemed to be nothing special about Waco other than Baylor itself.  As I have settled into Baylor and become a part of the community of Waco,  I feel like I couldn't have been more wrong.  The people of Waco make the town an incredible place to be.  One of my favorite places in the world has become downtown Waco.  On occasional nights when I finish homework and studying early I'll find myself taking a drive through the downtown area just to look at the old buildings and lights that hold such tradition and history in them.  There's something really special about Waco that not many towns have.  Every street and corner has character and a past that can't be replicated anywhere else.  Waco has gone from being a place that I dreaded living to somewhere that I know I am going to have a hard time leaving and will return often.