It's been almost one year since I've moved from the West Coast out here to the Midwest. People are people no matter where you go, but I never expected things to be this different. Moving to Fargo, North Dakota, was a decision that I got plenty of weird looks about, but now that my first year of college is coming to an end, here are the top things I've learned since moving to the Midwest:
1. "Midwest nice" really is a thing
I've never noticed how nice a hello from a stranger is until I moved to the Midwest. The best part is how they genuinely care about your well-being and take the time to ask you about your day.
2. Cowboy boots and Crocs
I'm not really sure what's more surprising to me: the fact that Midwest people actually wear cowboy boots and that's just not something from the movies, or that they actually think Crocs should be a thing.
3. The cold doesn't slow people down
The temperature is zero degrees or even below freezing? No problem. Just throw on that coat and boots and go on with your life, just as you would any other day. The freezing weather can't stop you.
4. Boot cut jeans
Unlike the monopoly of skinny jeans on the West Coast, the Midwest sports all types of jeans, including boot cut and sparkly bottom jeans.
5. Roof is pronounced "ruff" and root is "rut"
The way people pronounce certain words will never seem normal to me, no matter how many times a day I hear it.
6. Soda is pop
Pronunciation isn't the only thing different about the words from the Midwest and West Coast. Certain entire words or phrases differ as well, such as the soda vs. pop controversy.
7. More chain food places then Mom and Pop
Chain food places fill cities in the Midwest, and there seems to be a lacking of very many hole-in-the-wall places.
8. Graduating class sizes
Coming from a graduating high school class of about 1,000, it's certainly strange hearing about kids that graduated with classes as low as 10 people.
9. Country music
Country music fills the radios, and it seems to be the hot thing, which is not surprising since I now live in the country area. What surprises me the most is that I'm actually starting to like it.
10. Snow is not as exciting as it seems
The first day it snowed, my Floridian friend and I were beyond excited to see it fall. Although we couldn't hide our excitement, the Midwest kids seemed to act like the snow was a bad thing. Was it the end of the warmth that bothered them? Or was it that they saw it their whole life and it just wasn't that special anymore? Either way, we soon learned snow maybe isn't that big of a deal.
11. 40 degrees is shorts weather
As it starts "warming up" after a winter, you see people in shorts and a T-shirt when its just 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, I'm still in pants with at least a hoodie on looking around at everyone like they're crazy.
12. Roller bladers
This one interests me a lot and makes me want to try new things. Roller bladers are all over campus, and it makes me totally want to try them out.
13. Farming conversations are common
It also very common to over hear people talk about farming, being a part of FFA or riveting conversations about cows.
14. Camouflage
Camo is everywhere and I can't hold back the "I cant see you" jokes.
15. No traffic
The best part about moving out of the West Coast is that the traffic level in the Midwest is way lower. You don't have to plan for an hour of traffic ahead of time, and the drivers are a lot less aggressive.
