Today’s Opinionist was written by Arlington resident Freya Estreller.

Since the majority of my friends live in D.C., getting them to trek out to Arlington can sure be a tough sell. So what if I want to pay lower taxes and car insurance rates, live in a spacious house with a backyard, and drive my car that I park for free to Taco Bell at two in the morning? Does my social life really have to suffer because my best friends don’t want to cross the Key Bridge into the vast, unknown landscape that is Arlington, Virginia? I think not.

Fortunately, as an Arlington resident socially burdened by not living in the “city,” I have encountered just about every excuse there is, and have come up with a 100% guaranteed solution that I have methodically carried out and tested on my friends. Welcome to D.C. vs. Arlington Round 1, because sometimes you have to beat your friends into submission.