The All Time 15 Signs You Grew Up In Saint Charles
Saint Charles, IL is full of historic preservation, beautiful river walks, and endless recreational fun. In a big suburban city like the 630, there’s so many common denominators among children and young adults who grew up here and attended school here for most, if not all, of their lives. In a moment in time, we think nothing of the beauty of St. Charles, and the abundance of the memories here, but then we come across college roommates, new friends, different classmates, and suddenly we realize that there’s no place quite like the 630. Here are 15 signs you grew up in Saint Charles, IL.
1. The St. Charles North vs. St. Charles East Rivalry.
There wasn’t, and will never be, a rivalry quite like the town’s two high schools divided by the river. The rivalry game in every sport, specifically football, was always the most spirited events, and although a lot of us had friends from opposing schools, the competitive nature was always full force.
2. Buffalo Wild Wings was thee spot after football home game victories.
For some unwritten rule, a home turf victory called for wings. The Buffalo Wild Wings on Randall Rd. was always packed with high schoolers on random week nights, but nothing compared to the swarm of blue, black, and white crowding the tables on Friday nights.
3. You couldn’t go to Target without seeing at least three people you know.
This is, and always will be, an issue for STC residents. The staff and customers were filled with familiar faces, making last-minute-snack-runs-in-sweats-and-no-makeup a fun game of ‘Who Will I Run Into This Time?!’
4. Caputo’s on Randall Rd. was the unintentional employer of a good handful of upperclassmen that attended St. Charles North High School.
Similar to the Target down the road, you had a bigger chance of running into a classmate here than any other spot in town. It wasn’t a surprise when you headed down the aisle to check out and saw a familiar face sporting a red polo scanning your items.
5. Forever Yogurt. ‘Nough Said.
If you wanted to enjoy a quaint yogurt dessert with your partner or family, this wasn’t the spot. High school kids filtered in and out almost every weekend, loading up cups with Boba and cookie dough bites.
6. Chipotle was eaten every other day by every STC resident between the ages of 15-18.
There never isn’t a line at Chipotle, specifically the location on Randall Rd. After school and hungry? Chipotle. Friends want to go get food after practice? Chipotle. Ditching study hall to get a full hour of lunch? Chipotle.
7. When you saw the Juggling Sub in class, you knew it was about to be a good day.
The Juggling Sub is an Saint Charles exclusive. Apart from his iconic long hair, his juggling was top notch and made for an entertaining break from normal school work.
8. Haines And Thompson Middle School reigned supreme.
Both East and North high schools’ hallways consisted of students from one of two middle schools, with a sprinkling of catholic school kiddos mixed throughout. If you attended either or, you can attest to this true Saint Charles testament.
9. Free Choice Friday in gym class was the best day of the week.
Gym class wasn’t so bad on the Friday’s when we were able to combine classes and be with our friends who had different teachers to do yoga in the Mezzanine or walk the track while it was nice outside. Most guys opted for Wilson Ball, or some type of game involving getting way too worked up and sweaty.
10. The Cinema 18 in Charlestown Mall was the Friday night hangout.
Seeing a movie was thee Friday night activity. Your middle school clique of equal parts boy and girl would get dropped off at the mall to reek havoc at the cinema.
11. Charlestown Mall was actually a mall and not just an empty ghost town of a movie theater and like, three stores.
A now-abandoned and empty mall used to be the Woodfield of St. Charles. A full carousal in the food court was the iconic feature in Charlestown, and often times was the hangout of friends on any random given day.
12. Every other girl in high school either had a Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, or McDonald’s Sweet Tea cup in hand every morning.
It wasn’t an unusual sight to see girls rushing in from the parking lot towing an iced coffee, or styrofoam McDonald’s cup. An inevitable long drive-thru line was a risk most were willing to take. It also wasn’t an unusual sight to see said-girls sporting said-drinks around all day, even if the cups were practically empty.
13. Superfans and the importance of bringing the best snacks/treats for your athlete on game day.
Even if you weren’t a Superfan, you can attest to the Fridays that were littered with matching jerseys in the hallways and plates filled with cookies and Gatorade bottles spilling out of goodie bags. Being a superfan was a true responsibility that not just anyone could handle, but the popular girls paired naturally with the popular boys and the rest was Superfan history. Can’t forget about the flood of pictures on your Instagram timelines.
14. The Link in St. Charles North was like a combination of an obstacle course and real-life Jumanji. Avoidance at all costs was a smart move.
The Link is a Saint Charles North High School exclusive. It was near impossible to get through this awkward section of hallway in any time less than the full passing period we were allowed. Some type of nonsense was always happening.
15. Scarecrow Fest was the definitive start of all things Fall.
Friends would get dropped off at this Fall version of Riverfest for hot chocolate and rides upon rides. Scarecrow fest marked the ‘unofficial’ beginning of everyone’s favorite season, with Scarecrows galore and endless food stands. A true Saint Charles native can never forget about this fall fest.
