Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
My past few summers have been filled with cross country moves and 9-to-5 internships. This year, for the first time in a while, I decided to settle.
Because of my job, I got the chance to spend my whole summer in Malibu and examine its pros and cons.
Although Malibu offers an ideal atmosphere during the school season — slow days and a long drive from LA’s commotion — I wondered what its slow pace would look like for an entire summer.
For the past three months I have worked Mondays through Fridays, while still enjoying all the Californian perks that Malibu has to offer.
Malibu proved to have more pros than I imagined.
Both Malibu’s location and its locals foster an environment of healthy habits. Just this summer, I took up surfing, running and meditating, all activities that I learned from more experienced locals and enjoyed with friends.
It takes an average of 66 days to form a habit, according to the European Journal of Social Psychology. Thanks to Malibu’s ideal conditions, I was able to test this, and during the past few months I finally stopped procrastinating and actually learned to build healthy habits.
I have realized that Malibu is also a place that carries as much culture as it does fun. From exhibitions at the Getty Villa and the Malibu Library Speaker Series to Aviator Nation’s Sunday Sessions and Friday night concerts at the Trancas Country Market, you rarely run out of things to do.
Still, on the cons side, there are moments when the slower pace can feel a bit too quiet.
As fall semester quickly approaches, the quiet days remind me that I miss seeing the the familiar faces around town and the liveliness that characterizes Malibu during its more fast-paced seasons.
Conveniently, just a drive away away from Malibu, the busier neighborhoods of Los Angeles provide a similar energy.
An LA day trip to enjoy larger-scale events proved to be just the right dose of variety. A The Weeknd concert, guided museum visits to The Broad and new dining spots were the perfect change of scenery when Malibu’s pace felt too slow or my routine started to repeat itself.
Malibu’s prime coastal location also made exploring the greater West Coast more accessible during summer.
Road trips ended up being one of my favorite parts of summer. I was able to visit new places like Summerland, Montecito, Dana Point and Laguna Beach, which are not a long way away from Malibu.
The fun plans and different places I got to visit outside of Malibu were a great diversion from the slow pace. Yet I couldn’t be happier to return every time I left.
Labeling any of these experiences as “cons” seems unfair, since I have enjoyed every part of my summer.
Leaving Malibu for a few hours or even just a few days is enough to appreciate that it is the perfect place to spend the summer.
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Contact Karla Suzuki via email: karla.suzuki@pepperdine.edu
