By Dylan Henschen / Staff Writer ----------- I’ve never believed in culture shock. I can understand that it takes time to adjust to new things, but the idea of something being so different it's considered “shocking” is quite, well, shocking to me. I felt this way until very recently. Four weeks ago, I had my long awaited homecoming after living in New York City for a little over eight months.
If you’re new to The Nugget I’m a former intern turned summer employee who graduated Lumpkin County High School last year and left town for NYU in the fall.
Some may expect that the adjustment to city life was very difficult for me, but it's actually the exact opposite.
Readjusting to the small town has come with its own share of issues, especially when I’m constantly asking “When did this get here?”
On my first drive into town, my eyes were blinded by the fluorescent orange glow of the new Whataburger.
Last time I was here, they hadn’t even broken ground yet.
I am definitely glad to have a new fast food restaurant to add to my rotation though.
At the end of GA400, there is a brand new hospital and while I am thankful for it, I am not thankful for the 15 minutes it adds onto the drive to my best friend’s house.
Truly it’s my fault for driving in that area at 5:30 p.m. I guess I just wasn’t expecting Dahlonega to be affected by rush hour now.
One of my new favorite additions to the area is the fabulous Barnes & Noble in Dawsonville. This store is the gift I never knew I needed.
In my four weeks back, I have read five books (three of which were from the Twilight series #TeamEdward) and I’ve put many more on my reading list.
But the greatest thing to happen in my time away from Dahlonega is the aquatic center.
This is truly what I needed in my life. Sitting under the warm sun, reading Twilight, and having a nice cool pool to jump into has been the greatest “Welcome Home” of all.
While Dahlonega has changed in many unexpected ways, I am willing to adjust and make room for these new things, as long as it means I have a lawn chair and a lazy river.
