Growing up in a Spartan family, I was always told that "U of M sucks!" and "I hope you never go to that school." Even though Ann Arbor, MI is only about an hour from my hometown, I didn't get the chance to visit until late into my junior year of high school. Thus began my love affair with what I consider to be the best place in Michigan.
My first trips to Ann Arbor were only for shopping at the mall, which was a treat because Briarwood Mall is home to the only Pinkberry frozen yogurt shop in Michigan. This always convinced my mom that our Saturdays should be spent in A2, but without fail I would have to endure her groans as we drove past the large "M" on the stadium.
Shockingly enough, my very best friend decided to go to U of M for college, which disappointed the Spartan in me but thrilled the other part, the part that knew this would allow for even more trips to my favorite place. Since freshman year, I have gone a few weekends per semester and every time found more and more to love.
First and foremost, Literati is the most amazing bookstore I have ever encountered (and as a complete bookworm, I have encountered a LOT of bookstores!). It's small and cozy yet filled to the brim with the best selection of books one could ever imagine. Every staff member is friendly, there are convenient (and very persuasive) staff picks placed intermittently along the shelves, they bring in prominent authors all the time, and their rewards points system is definitely a perk. All of my closest friends can vouch for how giddy I become just by walking into this beautiful shop. This is my happy place.
Better yet, walk upstairs in Literati and you'll find yourself at the counter of an amazing coffee shop called The Espresso Bar. Their drinks are fantastic and no trip to Literati is complete without a steaming hot cup of coffee!
That's probably what I love most about Ann Arbor--they have my two favorite things (books and coffee) everywhere! If I'm still craving some caffeine after my cup from The Espresso Bar, there is no shortage of options for another quality, non-chain beverage. If I already filled a bag with treasures at Literati and I still feel it necessary to add to my ever-growing "to read" pile, I can walk over to the Dawn Treader Used Book Shop and become dizzy with their thousands of books stacked floor to ceiling.
And don't even get me started on the restaurant selection. Don't get me wrong--I love East Lansing--but it's easy to tire of the food options. I love walking down the main streets in Ann Arbor and smelling all of the different kinds of cuisine and passing by beautiful people eating outside. It feels like Chicago shrunk down to a fraction of the size!
So yeah, I bleed Green. I know the words of the MSU Fight Song so well I could sing it in my sleep and I can even sing the harmony line of our alma mater (which is beautiful, by the way). I cringe when I see maize and blue splashed across people's clothing and I hurl not-so-nice words at my best friend on that one day a year our schools play each other in football. And when people try to tell me that U of M is a superior school, I have to breathe deeply and calm myself down before ranting all of the reasons why MSU is the best.
But...Ann Arbor is amazing. There is so much to do and see; I have never had a bad time there! Whether it's shopping for books, loading up on an unhealthy amount of caffeine, or eating the best food in the state, I can find an excuse to head that way any time of the year. And is that a crime for a Spartan, to have both? Maybe instead this article should be titled "I'm a Spartan AND I Love Ann Arbor."
