As a fellow Collegiette from Western Massachusetts, it is interesting to listen to what students from Eastern Massachusetts have to say about the differences they notice. For those of you who are Eastern Massachusetts natives, let me enlighten you on some aspects about Western Massachusetts that are worth knowing:
1. Amherst is NOT as far west in Massachusetts as you can go. Travel about an hour further west and you will be in what is known as the Berkshires.
2. Western Massachusetts is NOT some medieval fantasy land out in the middle of an unknown area.
3. We are not savages who gather berries and hunt wild turkeys for our next meal. We are perfectly civilized human beings.
4. Some of us might be hippies but not all of us are.
5. Just because we drink out of Mason jars does not make us strange.
6. Although some towns may not have the best night life, we know how to have the greatest bonfires.
7. It may be incredibly quiet out here, but some of the greatest American writers came out to Western Massachusetts to avoid the craziness of the bustling cities.
8. We survive daily without a Dunkin’ Donuts being close by.
9. The mountains in the winter are just as beautiful as the ocean in the summer.
10. No matter how different our lifestyles may seem, we are proud to be from this part of Massachusetts.
Images 9 and 10 were taken by the author.