I'm a 3rd-generation Floridian. I left at 18 and don't plan to live in the state again — especially because I have kids.

• My parents and grandparents were born in South Florida, and so was I, but I left when I turned 18.
• I can't see myself moving back with my kids, especially with the state's high hurricane risk.
• I'm also not aligned with the state's view on education, and I don't miss the year-round sunshine.

As a third-generation Floridian, I was an anomaly among my friends growing up in a state with so many transplants. My parents and grandparents on both sides were born in South Florida, and so was I.

When I left the state three weeks after my 18th birthday, I also became an outlier in my family, as they all remained in the Sunshine State.

I joined the Army right out of high school in 1995 and lived in several states over the next seven years. Eventually, we settled in Colorado, where I still live with my spouse and three children.

Once I moved, I never looked back. Florida will always hold a place in my heart, but I couldn't see myself moving back near my family for a few reasons.

I adore feeling the weather change each season

South Florida essentially has a continuous summer, with an average of over 240 days of sunshine a year. Growing up, I classified the seasons as almost hot; hot and muggy; hot and rainy; and unbearably hot.

In Fort Lauderdale, where I was born and raised, daily high temperatures could go above 87 degrees Fahrenheit for months of the year.

Some people adore this — but I fell in love with experiencing the weather truly change as the seasons do in places like Colorado.

I enjoy how the cold of winter makes me look forward to the heat of summer and vice versa. It's nice that Christmastime feels different from summer break. Plus, the fall colors are spectacular, and spring's growth is so lovely.

Hurricanes are a serious threat to the state

Speaking of heat, the climate crisis is making many parts of Florida increasingly harder to live in.

Rising sea levels mean more flooding. Hotter ocean temperatures also contribute to stronger, more damaging, and unpredictable hurricanes that take a long time to recover.

For example, in 2017, Hurricane Irma struck the Keys where my father lives. He's still repairing his house's infrastructure damaged by that storm. Several businesses shuttered permanently, and many people never rebuilt their homes.

After surviving the devastation Hurricane Andrew caused in 1992, I don't want to live with the threat of losing everything hanging over me for half of every year.

The state's view on education isn't aligned with mine

Though Florida is considered a great state for education, I'm not aligned with many statewide policies and recent changes.

For example, Florida recently expanded its universal school voucher system to every student, which means state money that once funded public schools can be used at private schools that accept the vouchers.

Several states have versions of these programs, but they have their share of critics, and I believe they risk leaving public schools underfunded, which would harm students and school districts.

Plus, in recent years, Florida has passed sweeping book bans, notably including books containing LGBTQ+ characters and topics.

In 2023, Florida had more books challenged for removal than any other state. This emphasis on banning books doesn't align with my personal idea of a good education.

As the mother of three school-age children, I want books to be accessible, and for curiosity and questions about them to be encouraged.

Overall, the choice I made was the right one for me

I miss many things about Florida — especially its beautiful beaches — and I'm glad I get to experience them when I visit my family.

But between my views that don't align with Florida's education system and the state's increasing vulnerability to hurricanes, it's hard to imagine ever wanting to live there again with my family.

Though many people are flocking to Florida and my family enjoys living there, I know leaving was the right choice for me.