According to the CNNMoney, Libertyville has been recognized as one of the top 25 best places to live for the rich and single, yet students often complain about the blandness of Libertyville.
Is this ranking only applicable to the rich and single?
No, it is not. While some students complain about the dullness of Libertyville, it has several attractive aspects and entertaining activities that people should feel fortunate to have.
In a 2013 U.S. News and World Report ranking, Libertyville High School was named the 20th best school in Illinois and 503rd nationally, making the top 2 percent. A lot of students are completely unappreciative of how good their education system is. Students, and people in general, need to be more grateful for what they have. Yes, school isn’t fun for everyone, but at least appreciate the fact that we have a school to go to, while many in the world don’t. Not only do we have a school, but we have one that provides an outstanding education.
People constantly talk about how there is nothing to do in Libertyville and how it is so boring. I find this to be inaccurate. If one walks downtown, there are an abundance of stores, restaurants, and coffee shops. Even if Libertyville does get boring, it’s close to many different attractions, like Six Flags, Hawthorn Mall, and movie theaters, as well as Cascade Mountains, a ski resort less than an hour away. To say that it is boring is misleading because how much better can it get?
“I used to say that the most fun thing to do was go to the library. Especially when you compare the town to another one like Vernon Hills. It’s always kinda felt like a town for the older folks. It’s only recently that I started noticing its charm. I guess I just noticed how beautiful downtown was, and that they really do try to emphasize family more than we realize. For example, Libertyville Days and the Christmas tree lighting,” stated Junior Lake Forest College student Marie Adjei, who graduated LHS in 2011.
I used to say that the most fun thing to do was go to the library
— Marie Adjei
Opposing Adjei’s initial views on Libertyville not being that great compared to Vernon Hills, I believe Libertyville can’t be compared to Vernon Hills. They are both so different. Libertyville is a small suburb with trendy restaurants, bohemian coffee shops, boutiques, and antique shops, that can’t be found in Vernon Hills.
Many people don’t realize Libertyville’s beauty until they “lose” it (by moving away). We often have this distorted image of how perfect the world around us is, then we actually see the world around us and miss Libertyville. I’m not saying the world around us isn’t great, but Libertyville is a town with a homely atmosphere that is hard to replace. When some people move away from Libertyville, they begin to realize how good Libertyville was and appreciate its beautiful simplicity when they’re gone. I’ve seen college students be affected by this the most. When students go off to college and have to drive 20 minutes to get to the nearest Chipotle, they start to miss Libertyville.
