When you come from one of the best places in the world, being an out-of-state student can be tough. Of course, you’ll always love college, but missing Chicago is second nature to those of us from there. Here are some things that I believe every student from the Chicagoland area experiences and thinks as an IU student.
So where are you from?
That seems like a common enough question when you meet someone new. But a student from the Chicagoland area goes to the default and says, “Yeah, I’m from Chicago.” It’s just easier that way. Sure, I could tell you that I’m from Buffalo Grove, but what good will that do? Most won’t know the suburb anyway.
Pizza.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Mother Bear’s. I’m concerned for you if you don’t like Mother Bear’s. But nothing beats Giordano’s deep dish. For those out there promoting the greatness of thin crust, enjoy your cardboard thin pizza. I’ll eat mine with a fork and a knife, thank you.
Food in general.
Bloomington has a ton of great restaurants, but you start to miss Chicago food chains pretty quick. You begin to crave Portillo’s cake shake not long after moving to Bloomington. And how can you not? It’s chocolate cake. In shake form. Let that sink in for a minute.
The weather.
Bloomington has nothing on Chicago weather. Of course, the Midwest in general is pretty up and down with its weather; most places don’t go from sunny and cold to rainy and cold in a few hours. But Chicago takes the trophy for this one. Most people will grumble about a few inches of snow. A Chicagoan will roll their eyes: been there, done that. And it was most likely in May.
The accent.
If I had a dollar for every time someone mentioned my Chicago accent, I would be able to pay for IU. I am still convinced, and will always be convinced, that everyone else is the one with the accent.
The sites.
Bloomington is beautiful. There’s no argument about that. But sometimes you just want to see that tall building buildings surrounding you downtown. Or you want to go up to the Skydeck and see the entire city for its breathtaking beauty. And be honest. There’s something really cool about the Bean, no matter how many times you go.You’ll always love IU and Bloomington in general, it’s hard not to. But your hometown will always be home, and there’s nothing better.
