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Courtney Covert
WTRC 103 Section 40
Professor Sheila Fielding
31 January 2016
Virginia Is More than a Place, Its a Lifestyle
Virginia Beach is a place I call my true home despite not actually living
there for my entire life. Virginia Beach is a city located in southeastern
Virginia, U.S. and located in the Hampton Roads region (Virginia Beach).
The city covers 302 square miles of land and water including 28 miles of
oceanfront (Virginia Beach). The city is the largest city in Virginia and the
39th largest city in the U.S. with about 450,000 people (Demographics).
Although I have lived in multiple places, I consider Virginia Beach my home,
for it has shaped my identity and interests including my respect and interest
for the military, my preference for the beach lifestyle, and my love of living in
a populous city.
The history of the city of Virginia Beach links back to the initial
settlement of Jamestown by English colonists in 1607 as a community
known as Lynnhaven was formed in the 1620s after the Jamestown
settlement (Saddler). This area would later be called Virginia Beach in 1887
and developed as a resort following construction of a hotel and railroad
linking it with Norfolk (Virginia Beach). A major portion of the Virginia
Beach economy relies on tourism due to the citys location next to the beach
(Virginia Beach). In addition to tourism, the military also plays an essential

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role in defining the city because after World War I it became an important
base in the national coastal-defense system (Virginia Beach). Virginia
Beach is located right next to Norfolk, which contains Naval Station Norfolk,
the largest naval complex in the world; consequently, many citizens in
Virginia Beach connect with the military in some way (Welcome to Naval
Station Norfolk). Tourism and the military are a huge part of what makes
Virginia Beach so unique and relates to the reason behind my move to
Virginia Beach.
Before moving to Virginia Beach, I lived in Pennsylvania and Hawaii due
to my dads involvement in the military; however, my family and I eventually
moved to Virginia Beach because of my dads new job in the Navy. A major
characteristic of my city is its strong respect and connection to the military
especially the Navy. Virginia Beach is surrounded by multiple naval and army
bases making our town very appreciative of veterans and active duty
military. This strong focus on the military has given me a strong respect for
the many individuals who serve our country because of my dads personal
involvement in the Navy and seeing the personal sacrifices that men and
women and their families have to make everyday. Many of my friends and
many others in my community have family that serve the military, and I see
how proud these individuals are of those who serve our country. Virginia
Beachs strong connection to the military has influenced my personal
admiration of the Navy as I would like to be a Naval Officer after graduating
from James Madison University. In addition to military, the many activities

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and places in Virginia Beach are unique features because of its proximity to
the beach.
The activities and practices of Virginia Beach residents and the many
unique locations around Virginia Beach make the city very distinctive and
contribute to the beach lifestyle. The city has many festivals that I have
attended during the summer months including the Strawberry Festival and
the Neptune Festival, and they remind me of the individuality of Virginia
Beach. There are also many activities residents can participate including
many outdoor sports and activities such as sand soccer, kayaking, fishing,
hiking, and many water sports; consequently, I love to go outside to
participate in these activities and just enjoy living near the beach. There also
many places to go around Virginia Beach especially near the Atlantic Ocean
and Chesapeake Bay such as our local restaurants that range from
sandwiches to seafood; our multiple beach locations such as the Oceanfront,
Sandbridge, and Chicks Beach; and lastly our artificial hill made out of trash
called Mount Trashmore. With having a beach located in the city, there are
many stereotypes place on Virginia Beach citizens like myself. Many claim
that we hate tourists and we are constantly at the beach due to the fact that
we live in a beach area; however, these stereotypes do not represent the
entire population. I personally do not go to the beach all the time, and I do
not hate tourists even though they crowd our area. Nevertheless, I consider
Virginia Beach my home because I have lived here almost my entire life and
cannot remember the days when I did not live in Virginia Beach. Living in a

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populous city offers many perks including a variety of activities and places to
go; however, it also comes with many roles and expectations.
My participation in this group has shaped my preference for populous
cities including the variety of roles and expectations that comes with a large
population. My first role in this group was a student in the Virginia Beach City
Public Schools system, where I started in kindergarten and ended at my high
school graduation. As a student, it is my responsibility to be good student
and to take full advantage of the opportunities given to me by the school
system of Virginia Beach. I also have to represent my high school in
particular by having a good attitude, earning good grades, and getting
involved. With the role of being a student, there is an expectation of me to
graduate from the school system as Virginia Beach focuses on having a high
graduation rate due to the large number of students in Virginia Beach;
consequently, the city offers a variety of programs and resources to students
to prepare them for graduation and life after graduation. Another role is to be
a good citizen in my community by following the laws, being respectful to my
neighbors, and treating my city with respect. This is important because I
must be considerate toward the many others who live in my city and act as a
good group member. My last function in the group is particularly important
now that I no longer reside all year in Virginia Beach, which is my role to
represent Virginia Beach at James Madison University. Most people at JMU do
not live in Virginia Beach, so it is an obligation to be a good representation of
my populated city. This role has made me appreciate the many people living

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in my city, for I want to represent them in a positive light. My roles in this
group go along with the expectations of me as a member of this group. In
order to be a good citizen, I must respect the beaches and area of Virginia
Beach and follow the many laws and rules that are set by the government.
Also, I must support the many businesses of Virginia Beach, for the citys
economy is largely based on tourism and the many businesses located near
the beach; as a result, my support for these businesses can help the wellbeing of my the many members in my group. My roles in the group and the
expectations set by it have influenced my personal experiences within the
group and my fondness for living a city with many people.
Although I have many experiences and interaction within this group,
the most important ones are my high school experience and my preparation
for departing Virginia Beach to go to college. I attended Princess Anne High
School where I was a part of the International Baccalaureate Program. I had a
lot of obligations as a high school student including getting good grades,
passing standardized tests, fulfilling graduation requirements, and preparing
for college; however, there was a lot of stress that came along with these
obligations. Despite the many struggles, I felt my experience prepared me
for college and made me proud to attend schools in Virginia Beach because I
knew I was attending some of the best schools in the country. The second
experience was the summer before departing and my preparation for
leaving. I tried to do all the activities that I would not be able to do in
Harrisonburg including going to the beach, attending all my favorite

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restaurants, and spending time with my family. I was very scared to leave
because I was afraid I would miss home; however, I learned that I can have
two homes, and I started appreciating the unique aspects of my home in
Virginia Beach after attending college.
My group membership as a Virginia Beach resident has shaped my
identity and continues to influence my life at JMU including my interest in the
military, partiality for a beach lifestyle, and my desire to be surrounded by a
large population of people. Although my move to James Madison University
and my new life here in Harrisonburg has changed my group participation as
Virginia Beach resident, I still feel that I am apart of the group. Virginia Beach
will always be my home, but I also consider JMU my home; as a result, I
consider two important places in my life my home, for I feel that I belong
and am surrounded by the important people in my life. Consequently, saying
home for me can either mean JMU or Virginia Beach (as seen in the selfie
below). While at JMU, I miss being so close to the beach and all the other
activities related to the beach, but I found interest in many activities to do in
the mountains like hiking. JMU also reminds me of my membership as
Virginia Beach resident because I still feel like I am surrounded by a large
number of people because of the large student population; additionally, JMU
has a strong appreciation of the military and patriotism especially through
the Army ROTC program at JMU. Being away from my first home in Virginia
Beach has made me look at what it actually means to be a Virginia Beach
resident and to appreciate the uniqueness of the city, for I am not able to

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take part in the same activities or go to some of my favorite places in
Virginia Beach due to my new life as a college student at James Madison
University.

Taken on January 31, 2016

I always have a piece of my home
in Virginia Beach at my new home
in

Works Cited
Demographics." City of Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach Government, n.d.
Web. 26 Jan. 2016.
Saddler, J. Fred. "Virginia Beach." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley
I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 8. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 346-347.
Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Jan. 2016.
"Virginia Beach." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Britannica Academic.
Encyclopdia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 26 Jan. 2016.
"Welcome to Naval Station Norfolk." Naval Station Norfolk. Commander Naval
Installment Command, n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2016.