Last year I moved from my small New Hampshire town out to the city of Columbus Ohio to attend college. I knew there would be differences, but some were surprising. Here are some things I didn't know before moving to a city in the Midwest.
1. Strangers will smile at you in the street, and it's not because they want your money.
People are just much friendlier out here. I was taken aback at first, the closest city to me having been Boston, where people walk fast and mind their own business. But here strangers will smile, sometimes even say hi (especially if you're wearing Buckeye gear on game day).
2. Its called "pop."
I've gotten into many arguments over this one. I thought it was a myth. I didn't think anyone would actually call soda by any other name, but here I am in Ohio, being offered "pop" on a daily basis. My friends' main argument for this one is "when you open it up, it doesn't go *soda* it goes *pop*!" I'm still not convinced, but I guess that's the stubborn New Englander in me.
3. Tennis shoes aren't just for the courts.
Doesn't matter what you're wearing them for, if there are athletic shoes on your feet, they're called tennis shoes. I get laughed at for saying sneakers, but I just can't bring myself to classify them as tennis shoes if you aren't wearing them on a tennis court.
4. College football isn't just a game, it's a way of life.
I never understood the hype of college football until moving to the Midwest. The whole campus shuts down on game day, and everyone is decked head to toe in Buckeye gear (yes, including me in my Urban Meyer earrings). I've fallen in love with the college football culture, and root for my boys every weekend.
5. Everything is flat.
Driving down the road you can see for miles, no hills, no curves, just flat land. As someone with short legs, I'm glad I don't have to walk up giant hills every day (unlike when I visited UVM . . . RIP), it just came as a shock. Mountains on the horizon have now been replaced by a city skyline.
6. You're gonna miss home . . . a lot.
Although I love life in a midwestern city, I miss home. I miss the smell of pine trees, the mountains, the hiking trails, and most of all, the people I know and love. So come visit, the Midwest isn't so bad after all!
