Being from the northeast part of country is a special kind of misery. Some people are meant to live here and some people, like myself, are just waiting to save up enough money to escape this cold, dreary, mountainous region. Don't get me wrong, the natural beauty here is breathtaking and there's nothing like looking down from the peak of an Adirondack mountain, but once you've seen enough mountains in the years you've lived here, it kind of looses its luster. I don't really know what would draw a person to live in such an economically depressed region, but I'm guessing if you are a "mountain man/woman" the place would suit you.

Honestly, the natural beauty and clean air are probably the only reasons people live here or travel for a small vacation. Besides the mountains, the northeast really doesn't have much to offer you besides the cold and unpredictable weather. In fact, this area is known for being one of the most economically depressed in the U.S. and it's not a secret as to why. There are no real "attractions" here that most people are interested in and the weather often scares those California-lovin' celebs away. If they're not performing in Boston or Madison Square Garden in NYC, you're out of luck because they're not playing any farther north.

The northeast in its entirety is desolate to me. Everyone who is here is miserable and either acts like that is their designated lot in life or actually wants to leave, but cannot for whatever reason. I guess that would put myself in the second category, but money is all that's holding me back. I love my friends and family here too, but why they chose to reside here I'll never know why.

I've always wanted to live in a place I feel like I can relate to, belong to and represent. I don't feel any of that here. For instance, most people would think that being from the northeast part of the country also means you're a die-hard Republican, and I am. My family is too, for the most part, but unfortunately the mass of people who live in the cities of the northeast make up the electoral votes of the entire state. Both the northeast states I've lived in are true blue Democrats. This does not bode well for anyone because of the lack of representation we have in our own government. So why do we stay?

I'm thinking the reason most of us choose to stay here is the reason we refuse to leave: consistency. Why would we change our lives to accommodate living somewhere we don't know will be better than where we already are? I think we are too accustomed to being stagnant in our jobs, relationships, and our life choices that we forget that we have the power to move somewhere else and experience different things than what we're used to. A region does not and cannot define you. I'm from the north, but I refuse to stay here and be defined by its cold, cruel nature.