Ah, the Midwest. As a born and raised Southern Californian , people are constantly flabbergasted by my decision to go to school in Indiana. "But the winters!" they cry, imagining a confused, sandal-wearing me wandering through the frozen tundra that is Valparaiso in February. "The humidity! The cornfields! You must be so bored here!" they continue, the full extent of the tragedy that has befallen me washing over them. "No, no, kind stranger," I assure them, "I'm okay. I like it here." Though it may come as a surprise, adjusting to life in the Midwest doesn't have to be painful or mind-numbingly boring for Californians. As a girl who's adopted the epithet, "Hoosier at heart," here are some tips I've picked up along the way.
1. Accept that California is not the end-all, be-all of beautiful landscapes.
Look at that! That's a sunset at a lake in Minnesota! Pretty neat, right? We Californians can get pretty uppity about the quality of a landscape, so it's important to remember that the word "different" is not synonymous with the word "worse." So maybe there aren't mountains in the distance when driving through the cornfields in Central Indiana, but you're looking at the original "amber waves of grain," which has to count for something. On a related note...
2. Don't be a beach snob.
Okay, so maybe this beach isn't connected to the ~actual ocean~ but look at it! It's so pretty! This is in Indiana! Sure, there's no surfing or boogie boarding to be done here, but again, Lake Michigan isn't an ocean, so it's kind of lacking the whole moon-and-tides effect. If we're being honest, I struggled with beach snobbery for my first year and a half in Indiana. All it took was one blissful day at the Dunes to thank my lucky stars I'd found somewhere to get some socially-acceptable tanning done. This is the Midwest, after all.
3. Buy a winter coat.
And a hat and a scarf and gloves and thick socks and some good, sturdy boots (with traction!) and you should be fine. Listen, it feels like the world is ending when it gets down into the 50's in California. I get that. I've been there. There really isn't anything I can say to prepare you for existing in 2° weather with a -40° windchill. What's windchill, you warm little Californians ask? "Of the devil" is the only good answer that comes to mind. Buy a coat. You're gonna need it.
4. Get into craft beer.
What do you think you'll be doing during those cold winter months when literal walls of snow keep you from enjoying being outside? Even if you're not a huge beer drinker, most breweries have some pretty awesome food you can wash down with an equally satisfying water or soda. If you're looking for a craft beer mecca, head to Three Floyds in Munster, Indiana. Their slogan is "not normal," so they're kind of like the alternative, rock-n-roll king of craft beer. And for all you underaged kiddos out there, buy a root beer and wait your turn.
5. Learn to appreciate a good downtown.
So, yes, there are downtowns in California. You're familiar with the concept. But California downtowns are based on Midwest downtowns, so you have yet to encounter the spirit of a true downtown. Downtown is where the good food, shopping, and walking can be found, and in the Midwest, it's truly magical to find those three things in the same place. Plus, downtowns are always super cute during the holidays, so really, there's nothing not to love about them.
6. Be kind to the people you meet.
Listen. People in the Midwest are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Yes, I know it's a stereotype, but I'm telling you: there's something about growing up thousands of miles away from the ocean that makes you naturally kinder to strangers. Exhibit A: Paige Peterson, the kind soul who, when I followed her into the bathroom at freshman orientation, graciously agreed to be my roommate. After a mere two months of friendship, she also agreed to bike through a thunderstorm with me to be my moral support while I got a blood test. Midwesterners, folks. They're saints.
7. Soak up the sun while you can.
Winter can begin as early as October and end as late as May. That's over half a year of grey cloudy days. When the sun is out, you should be too. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a real thing, and the best way to counteract it is to spend time in the sunshine when you can, and maybe invest in a sunlamp. You were spoiled in California. In the Midwest, you have to learn to appreciate the sun while you can.
