Like most high school seniors, I was filled with a wide array of emotions and feelings when I made my college choice known to my friends, family, coworkers, teachers, and coaches. Most conversations about my college decision sounded like this:
"Where are you going for college?"
"I’m going to Creighton University," I'd reply.
"Where's that? Wait what school?"
"Creighton University. It's in Omaha," I’d answer calmly, though increasingly frustrated.
"Where's that? Isn't that in the Midwest somewhere?" were common responses.
"Creighton is in Omaha, Nebraska," I'd say. I thought everyone learned about U.S. Geography in middle school!
Needless to say, the Midwest is far from the focus of many people in the Pacific Northwest. Coming to Creighton from Portland, Oregon, I've discovered a lot about Creighton, Omaha, and the Midwest in my short time here. However, I've learned even more about myself, my family and friends, and what is truly important in my life.
Based on my experiences in college so far, here are some things I've come to learn.
1. Mid-westerners are one of the friendliest groups of people I have ever met.
I will always be pleasantly surprised by the mannerisms, the attitudes, the outlook on life, and the politeness exhibited by Mid-westerners. While I’m not saying Pacific Northwesters are less friendly or lack anything in particular, it’s readily apparent that Mid-westerners have a unique sense of humility, moderation, and authenticity.
2. Despite my great fondness for Omaha, Nebraska, and the Midwest in general, I will always call Portland, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest, my first and lifelong home.
I was born, raised, and have lived my whole life in Portland. I've also known from a very early age that I am quirky, unique, and independent. Where better for me to live after school than Oregon, where the state motto is: "She Flies With Her Own Wings."
3. It is no small task to travel to Creighton from Portland.
As of yet, there are no direct flights from Portland to Omaha so traveling by plane will take almost a full day. Being 6’4, a good day of plane travel means that my knees weren’t in my face for either flight and that I only hit my head on the overhead storage bins a few times.
4. Living among your peers in college, you quickly develop friendships that last a lifetime.
Since my family is over 1700 miles away, my best friends at Creighton are now family to me and an unspoken love exists between us that I wouldn't change for the world. They are there for me when I'm at my worst, they genuinely want what's best for me, they poke fun and tease me when I do something funny or embarrassing, and they accept me for who I am.
5. When it comes time to leave Portland for Omaha, saying goodbye to my brother and parents will never get any easier.
No amount of time at home with family is long enough, and no amount of hugs and kisses are enough to stop the heartache.
6. When you go to school 1700 miles away from home, your entire family has to make sacrifices so that you are able to make your dreams a reality.
To say that college is a long-term investment is an understatement. I do not know how I will ever be able to appropriately show my appreciation and gratitude to my family.
7. Being so far away from everything you've known and loved thus far, it is very easy to lose your identity, forget who you are, and make bad choices.
Fortunately, measures can be taken to regain one’s true identity, mistakes can be forgiven, and lessons can be learned.
8. Being an Oregonian in the Midwest is a culture shock to say the least.
I don't know if I will ever get used to: living in a Conservative Red state, having to pay Sales Tax, not seeing whole city blocks of Food Trucks, pumping my own gas, not having a Food Waste/Compost container, drinking fluoridated tap water, or even just being asked if I want to get breakfast. In Portland, only out-of-towners ask you to get breakfast with them since Portlanders don’t go out to eat breakfast. If there is one thing truly Portland, it’s going out to get brunch. Seriously, it’s a completely different thing than breakfast. The food served for brunch in Portland is on such a completely different level of good that you’d never want to go back to breakfast.
While reflecting on some of the things I have learned at Creighton so far, one thought kept popping up in my head: I will always have two places that I can call my home—Portland, OR and Omaha, NE.
Whenever I at home in Portland, I can’t help but think about the good times at Creighton with my friends, the late nights spent studying for the big test in the morning, and the amount of change that has occurred in my life in just one school year.
When I am at school in Omaha, I can’t help but think about the long, stressful, and tiring hours spent with my brother this summer working overnights, the hours spent bonding with my mom over 1000 piece puzzles, or the inside jokes with my Dad while he drove me to and from high school.
