Ayoub: Nothing like a Chicago vacation

Do you remember how excited you were whenever you heard that statement, “All right kids, we’re going on vacation!?” I don’t know about you, but it was among the top five statements to hear my parents make; well, maybe the most important statement for a 10-year-old kid. I want to think that everybody loves vacations, even adults.

Vacations are times to drop everything you’re doing and travel to a place where you intentionally block out any memory of your hometown and your work, and where your main goal is to have a boatload of fun.

For a kid, vacations during the school year meant no school; you could brag about whatever exotic place you went to, and everyone would be super jealous and beg their parents for a vacation…it’s a vicious cycle.

No one in their right mind is going to say no to a vacation. People need vacations; it’s what keeps us sane, especially as young adults. Now that we’re older, vacations are a lot more rare, which makes them much more valuable.

In reality, unless it’s between the months of May and August, taking a vacation is pretty much nonexistent for a busy young adult or a student of any age.

Then again, everyone has their own perceptions of vacation. A vacation doesn’t have to be defined as leaving the country or even the state. Ann Arbor can be a vacation if you want it to be. It’s all about what you do there, whether you have a blast, and if you’re surrounded by great people.

I will always have fond memories of my first trip to Chicago. I honestly feel like I left Chicago a changed person. Having lived in Toledo my entire life, anywhere I go will definitely be an improvement.

Going to Chicago was by far the best vacation I’ve ever had in my life. Not only was the weather absolutely perfect, it was the polar opposite of Toledo, and there are no similarities whatsoever. Let me indulge you with a few of my favorite moments.

Our drive through the city was absolutely stunning. The skyline was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The buildings were so high it literally hurt my neck to peer up at them, and I’m not even complaining about it at all.

The people are just fabulous and plenty! I love how people were walking all over downtown. That’s just amazing and makes the city look so lively. It’s almost like a taboo to see people walking in Toledo where owning a car is a necessity rather than want. As you walk through the streets of Chicago, you see so many different kinds of people and races. It’s a place where it doesn’t take hard thinking to understand the concept of unity in diversity.

I can’t appreciate the unique dressing style enough. It’s so impeccable. I’ve never seen so much fashion in one place. I felt like I was at Paris Fashion Week, except that this time it was so windy and American, but also because no one was trying so hard to impress anyone. If you wore some sweatpants and a sweatshirt and plopped yourself in Mag Mile, you’d stand out from a mile away; you’ll probably get compliments for it.

There’s just so much to see and do in Chicago. There was a photo op on every corner, from the bean, to the pier, to the Sears Tower. My family spent an entire day in downtown, from morning to night, just walking wherever we pleased, taking zillions of pictures.

The food was incredible. No pizza beats Chicago’s famous pizza. Maybe New York or Italy’s, but then I’m yet to prove those rumors. And until I do, I’ll still say the Windy City’s pizzas are one of a kind.

Oh, how did I almost forget about their sports? I have never been a sports enthusiast until Chicago but today, I follow the Cubs because they’re Chicago’s cubs. I also follow the Bulls and Bears! With my jerseys donned and key chains hanging from my wrist, I can be as enthusiastic as any other sports fanatic could be.

I think I totally understand why Ferris Bueller blew off school; I probably would’ve done the same thing. Though I didn’t partake in a parade and sing “Twist and Shout,” my time in Chicago was definitely one I’ll always treasure.

Samar Ayoub is a second-year student in pre-med concentration.