Coming to college in The Official Middle of Nowhere, Ohio can be overwhelming for many students, because the vast majority of us have never lived in such proximity to cornfields, and even fewer of us have lived so darned far from a Target.
I, too, come from happy middle-class Suburbia, but as I shared last week, Knox County has become an important and dear part of my life: home. When I arrived at Kenyon, I was intimidated by just how rural it is. I suffered from Target withdrawal, and forming connections with my surroundings wasn’t really my first priority. However, over time, through the deep connections I forged with local friends, Knox County began to really matter to me, and I saw it in a new light.
Knox County, like all rural areas, comes with certain stereotypes, and truth be told, they are not unfounded. In Knox County, you will find a lot of corn fields, conservative politics, poverty, and probably a lot more Amish buggies than you’ve ever seen in your life. However, there is so much more to the area than just those things, and as you look more closely, you can begin to enjoy the community for what it is.
Location
When you come to Knox County, the first thing you’ll probably notice is all of the cornfields, and then maybe the BFEC and downtown Mount Vernon. But did you know that it is also home to a 500-acre reservoir? Apple Valley Lake, which is about fifteen minutes from Kenyon, is one of the most beautiful places in Ohio. I took this photo while out on the lake with some friends, and yes, it really is this beautiful (#nofilter). Personally, I think the cornfields can be stunning, but even if you find it hard to appreciate them, when you see Apple Valley you have to admit that Gambier isn’t the only beautiful part of Knox County.
There are also a lot of cool local small businesses. I featured a few of the food-oriented ones last week, and I’ll feature some more in another post. But suffice to say, Walmart isn’t your only option for clothes, craft supplies, books, or even hardware. Now, it is true that we are still very far from shopping malls, Trader Joe’s, Targets, and other suburban staples, BUT rumor has it that a Marshalls is coming to Mount Vernon sometime soon.
Meet the People
Some of my best friends in the world are Knox County residents. Many students are scared to interact with anyone not affiliated with Kenyon, largely because of the pervasive stereotypes, but they are sorely missing out. The stereotypes are not always false, but people are always more than stereotypes.
I’ve honestly been heartbroken by the attitude that I often see among students towards the other people who live in Knox County. Unfortunately, I’ve seen students dismiss or look down on Knox County residents for being poor, uneducated, and politically conservative. I could give statistics all day to explain the nuance to these stereotypes, but instead, I’m just going to share a few stories of my interactions with Knox County residents to show why the stereotypes (some of which are more valid than others) should not define your view of the truly wonderful people who live here.
The photo above is my friend Stefanie and me at her graduation from East Knox high school last year. We met through church, and I actually lived with her family last summer. Stefanie plays flute, she graduated near the top of her class at East Knox, and after her first year of college, she dresses like a total hipster. She’s a sophomore at Hope College in Michigan, where she’s majoring in nonprofit management, and she hopes to spend her life working overseas.
This is Chuck. He’s like a dad to me, and sometimes I even call him Dad. He pastors my church, and he is one of the most loving people I’ve ever met. Despite being in the middle of Buckeye country, he is an avid Michigan fan, and his wife Tara and four daughters are all as amazing as he is. A graduate of Cedarville University, Chuck has been pastoring Journey Church in Howard, Ohio for eighteen years, and sometimes he tells dad jokes during his sermons. I actually took this photo the day my grandmother died. When it happened, I just needed to get off campus and be with people who didn’t have papers to worry about, so I texted Tara, and she invited me to come hang out with them while they were landscaping the church. Chuck found this abandoned bird’s nest and decided to wear it like a hat. I loved how silly he looked, so I snapped a picture. Hanging out with their family, I got to feel okay for a few hours, which is absolutely priceless.
This is my friend Hosanna. She and I both play bass in the church band, and she just graduated from MVNU with a degree in studio art. Her family has sort of adopted me, and I got to hang out with them (and her hilarious grandparents) when they invited me over for Easter this year. Hosanna really loves bringing people from diverse circles together, and so I have met so many cool people through board game nights and outings that she has organized.
This is Brandie, with her son (my favorite kid in the universe), Cuyler. Brandie works at Happy Bean, and she is one of my best friends. When we hang out, we talk late into the night, and she is incredibly funny (and gets funnier at 2 am). I hang out at Brandie’s house regularly, and even cleaning is fun when we’re hanging out. Brandie has spent countless hours on the phone with me during bad days and moments of super exciting news. She was with me at midnight on my 21st birthday, and she is one of the most encouraging people I have ever met.
The reality is that Knox County is way more exciting than you would initially think. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous, there really are more stores than just Walmart, and there are a lot of cool people if you’re willing to get to know them. Next week, I’ll write more about ways to meet Knox County residents, but unless you’re trying to make new friends at Walmart at 3 am, meeting locals should be a great experience.
Image Credit: Maggie Griffin