15 Things People Who Went To College In Philadelphia Know

1. You are well aware of SEPTA.

No, this is not the disease we’re talking about. SEPTA is a form of public transportation used around Philadelphia. Living in Philadelphia, you probably used this form of transportation for classes, parties, dinners, you name it. You’ve also experienced SEPTA being shut down during snowstorms or random occasions where you got stuck, and with zero clue ask to how to get around.

2. Wawa was your to-go spot.

Remember pulling those all-nighters and not being able to stay awake? You either needed an energy drink, coffee, or food and nothing around campus seemed to be open? Well, you can always count on Wawa — which is a 24-hour convenience store. You knew the type of coffee you liked and the hoagies from this joint. (And if you were not from the Philly area, you picked up quickly that people from Philly call sandwiches or subs hoagies.)

3. The hype of cheesesteaks grew on you.

Living in Philly, you might’ve become a cheesesteak lover. Everyone who visited always asked which place was better — Pats or Geno’s? Whether it was Pats or Geno’s, you definitely found a good spot that sold the best cheesesteaks in the city of Brotherly Love.

4. You’ve been to one of the largest malls in America.

Although King of Prussia might have not always been your spot to go to all the time to buy your outfits (since it’s 30 minutes outside the city), you still had the honor of shopping at one of the largest malls in the United States.

5. The Gallery

Okay, this might have been your go-to spot as a college student to shop for clothes. You might have not always found what you desired, but it worked temporarily for those house parties and those bars with the 50 cents-$1 deals on Wednesday or Thursday nights.

6. Your life revolved around the 30th street station.

As a college student living in the city, it was not always feasible to have a car. You resorted to 30th street station which provided train services for you to go to other cities. Also a few steps outside of 30th street station, you were able to get bus services such as Megabus or Boltbus. Granted, there were times you might have missed the bus or the train, or it might have been overbooked but you always found a way to get home.

7. You had to pick up liquor and beer in different stores.

This was a challenge when you threw house parties, especially if you were under the age of 21 and trying to buy alcohol and beer. Your heart would throb each time, going to separate stores, doing double the runs and risking double the rejection. Luckily, you probably had friends that were 21 or older to hook you up with all this.

8. The utility bills were outrageous at times.

You must have had your own apartment with some roommates at some point in your college career. You also noticed how much the city rips you off with the utilities. During the winter time, the heat bill was outrageous and if you didn’t pay for your water bill, then without any warning they would turn your water off — and you don’t realize the importance of water once it’s gone.

9. PPA

These people become your worst enemy living in Philly. At times it really felt like they were after you and your car. If you woke up at 8:10 a.m., and you were supposed to move your car by 8, chances were you’d go back to sleep because there’s a high chance you had already gotten a ticket.

10. Rats

This was one of the worst parts of having an apartment in Philly, especially in West Philly. You definitely had the honor of seeing a rat in your apartment. No matter how many mouse traps or landlord inspections you had to prevent them from coming into your apartment, they seem to never go away.

11. Getting mugged or shot

It was normal to get alerts and warnings on your phone that someone a couple blocks down from you got mugged. Please carry pepper spray.

12. You realize Philly is a multi-cultural city.

You made friends from different backgrounds and interests which made you a well rounded person. You attended the “All-Indian” or “All-Asian” nights, and so forth — and even if you were the only outsider, you enjoyed every minute of experiencing something different.

13. Center City Sips

You had the honor of experiencing what Center City Sips was as a college student, especially if you were taking summer classes. This takes place every Wednesday 5-7pm, where you can meet all sorts of people, all ages. Luckily your hangovers weren’t as bad for Thursday morning summer classes or work.

14. You learned the term “JAWN”

“Yo, did you check out his new jawn?” So, what did the word jawn mean in reference to in that question — A car? A girl? At first, you may have thought the term was out of whack, however as years went on you picked up on it and realized you use it in your daily vocabulary.

15. No matter what, Philly will always have a place in your heart.

You probably kept telling yourself that you cannot wait until you move away from Philly and its filthiness, but looking back at your life you realize that Philly has made you into the person you are today.