In the time I’ve been at Florida State University (FSU), I’ve had to mention where I am from on many, many occasions. Whether it is a “Wow, that’s far!” or “West Virginia is a state?” I get very similar responses when telling people about my home state.
My favorite reaction to learning where I’m from comes from those who reply with “You’re from West Virginia? Oh my gosh, my family owns a cabin there!” Wow, thanks for that. I really wanted to know about your family’s ability to afford a second property when my family only has one house in a state with one of the lowest costs of living in the country.
To be clear, I don’t live in the mountains or rural farmland, nor do I live near any sort of skiing or white water rafting resort. I am from a normal town in the Eastern Panhandle of the state, closer to Washington D.C. than my state capital.
For reference, my hometown has a population of about 19,000 (one of the largest city populations in the state), while Tallahassee has a population of almost 200,000. FSU’s undergraduate population— around 33,000— is larger than my hometown.
So at this point, I am sure you are wondering what it was like to grow up in the state associated with the famous John Denver song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” To be completely honest, it isn’t anything special. My town doesn’t have a mall and barely any recreation. It is mostly restaurants and hotels as a result of being right off one of the longest interstates along the east coast, I-81. To get to the nearest mall, you have to drive at least 20-30 minutes into one of our neighboring states (Virginia or Maryland), and most painstakingly, to get to the nearest Barnes and Noble, you have to drive around 45 minutes into Frederick, Maryland.
However, what we lack in recreation, we make up for in great hiking spots both in my county and in our neighboring states. To anyone who thinks Tallahassee has a hilly or mountainous terrain, imagine being from West Virginia, which is also known as “The Mountain State.” Whether you take a short trip to Harpers Ferry or drive into Maryland to walk along the Potomac River at the C&O Canal, there is always something to do outdoors.
To combat our lack of anything interesting to do, the teenagers and young adults in my area spend their time walking around Target or driving around town. My favorite pastime is driving to any and all stores and gas stations that carry chocolate milk and rating them. Spoiler alert: the place with the best chocolate milk is Rutter’s. This gas station chain — only located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland — has their own brand of chocolate milk that is simply divine.
Speaking of gas stations, the one total loss of Florida is not having any Sheetz stores. Sheetz is a gas station that also prepares and serves food. I like to describe Sheetz as “Wawa, but on dark mode,” as their brand colors are black and red. Sheetz, with substantially better food than Wawa, is one of my favorite places in my hometown. I greatly miss my late-night runs to the 24/7 gas station when I was in the mood for a hot chocolate or sub.
While I can say where I am from isn’t that special, there is something about my hometown that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. My area is by far the most welcoming and loving community I have ever been part of or seen. Regardless of who you are or your differences, there will always be a door open to you. I’ve heard on numerous occasions that West Virginians are the nicest people in our country, and I can easily say I agree.
We love to talk in my area. It is easy to fall into a conversation and lose track of time. You’ll find yourself in an interesting conversation with people you have never met before. You’ve likely heard of the expression that the “journey is more important than the destination.” That is visibly embodied in my area. It is easy to get carried away at FSU, and I notice that everything is largely about the destination here. In my hometown, it is all about the journey, and for me, creating connections.
The sense of community that radiates from my hometown is unparalleled. That is part of the reason I felt drawn to FSU, there is a similar sense of home on this campus that reminds me of my roots. And anytime I hear that famous John Denver song, I feel sentimental. I find myself talking about West Virginia and my hometown very often here, and it fills me with a fondness that I never thought I’d feel.
I left my hometown for college excited to get out of that state and to be honest, I have no intentions of ever living in or near West Virginia post-graduation. However, I cannot deny the love I have for my town and what I learned growing up there. Something I hoped my peers knew when I left was that I was nothing less than genuine in all of my interactions with them.
And although I know I have limited time left in West Virginia, my peers and those from my town will always have a place in my heart and an open door in which they are always welcome. While FSU and Tallahassee are full of kind people, and I love being a student here, nothing can compare to the beautiful and loving community of Martinsburg, West Virginia.
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