WR 1
Professor Esteras

The Blue and Golden state I have heard of the state “California” since I was a little kid. Undoubtedly California is one the most famous states in America because of its attractive beaches, the famous story of Old Rush and the fame of Hollywood, the center of early American movies. Therefore, when people talk about California, words like “beaches”, “multi-culture”, “gold mines” and “Hollywood” will come up to my mind. To me, colors like blue and gold are meant to be the best description of California. Started from the 1951, the colors of blue and gold were adopted as the state colors of California. Blue and gold represent the sea and the color of the precious metal found by forty-niners in the state’s hills. This became one of the symbols which could represent California adequately. However, I think the color of blue does not represent only the beautiful blue water in California, but also the peaceful mood of everyone staying in California. Meanwhile, besides standing for the story of forty-niners, I believe that the gold color can represent the celebrities in glittering clothes under the flashing lights in Hollywood. As a result, California should be represented by the colors of blue and gold for the blue sea and peaceful mood, the story of forty-niners and the fame of Hollywood. To begin with, blue becomes a state symbol as California is a beautiful coast next to the blue sea. Lying along the West Coast of the United States, California has a nice climate which the summer is dry and the winter is mild. The weather in California is good. During summer, many people will consider having their vacations in California because there are many beautiful beaches where they can enjoy the sunshine, the breeze and the blue water. As what Thomas Steinbeck wrote in his short essay, “I have been abundantly rewarded by the sight of the great Pacific” (Steinbeck 67). The coast along the Pacific Ocean creates stunning view for every visitor, especially the marvelous water color from the beautiful beaches like Laguna Beach and Coronado. Driving down the Southern California coast, people can enjoy their summer in these beaches, swimming in the blue and clear sea. Because of the strong tides, it is definitely a nice place for surfers too. In addition, as the color of the sea and the sky is the same during good weather, the horizon will weld with the sky, creating an extremely special and beautiful view. These famous beaches give people the image of California as a sunny paradise and the best place for vacation, and even “a utopian island set in the western sea” (Steinbeck 64). When people think of California, they will naturally think of the blue color of the water too. Next, blue symbolizes the peaceful environment in California. As Dana Gioia described in her short essay “On being a California Poet”, “A California poet almost inevitably feels the competing claims of language and experience.” (Gioia 201). It is a multi-cultural state which people from different places can live in harmony, creating a peaceful mood for everyone in California. It is the most populous state in the United States and the population is made up of various races like White, Hispanic and Asian. Take my own experience as an example, I am an international student from China, and I have arrived California since last summer. Studying in Irvine Valley College, I meet students from different countries. I think that people here are friendly and so far I still have not encountered any racism. No matter people are from America or China or even Saudi Arabia, they can be very good friends and get along with each other very well. Moreover, as a multi-cultural society, it is easy to find restaurants of different cultures like the Chinese or Korean ones. Living in California, I feel like I am travelling to different countries because I can try the cuisines from various countries. Only peaceful places like California can accommodate so many ethnic