Don’t get me wrong everyone, I love going to school in Indiana. This place is my second home and I wouldn’t trade my experience here for anything. However, I have noticed some differences between living back home in New York and out here in the Midwest. The struggle can be very real sometimes.
Here are some of the things I believe to be the biggest struggles for a New Yorker (specifically a Long Island girl) going to school out in good old Indiana.
1. We are left here without any delis.
And no people- Subway and Jimmy Johns are not considered delis. I’m talking somewhere where you can get a breakfast sandwich before school and a huge half & half to bring to the beach. You’re missing out if you don’t know what I’m talking about!
2. The same goes for diners.
Where are the diners Midwesterners!? Would you like to have somewhere that is open all night, has a ridiculously long menu (including everything from omelets to seafood dishes), and lets you order breakfast food all day long? I sure do! Let’s make this happen.
3. We miss our bagels.
I recognize that everything up until this point has been food related- but these are all legit arguments! You’re probably tired of hearing New Yorkers brag about how good our bagels are. But don’t knock ‘em until you’ve tried them. Cream cheese and bacon and lox- oh my!
4. Everything here is much more slow-paced.
I never really noticed how fast we New Yorkers walk until someone asked me why I was always in a rush during my freshman year here at school. I suppose it’s because we are used to the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced New York lifestyle. There is nothing wrong with having a little pep in your step, but I do thank you Midwesterners for helping me to relax a bit.
5. We aren’t used to strangers being so nice to one another.
I’m not saying that every New Yorker has an attitude and every Midwesterner is an angel…but you know the stereotypes. And I’m not saying that they are totally untrue. Now it’s not that we don’t like the fact that people are generally nicer out here, it’s just not something that we are used to.
6. Where is the road rage?
Speaking of people not being so nice to one another…let’s talk about road rage. I’m sure this is a thing everywhere (and maybe I just haven’t been exposed to it yet), but it does seem to be a much smaller problem out here in the Midwest. While we do appreciate the general kindness here, sometimes you just need to let off some New York steam.
7. If you don’t have a New York accent, people don’t believe that you’re really from there.
Really. Just because I was born and raised in New York, this doesn’t mean that I automatically have a strong New York accent. My mother is from Michigan people, what do you want from me? But let me tell you this- there is nothing quite like a strong New York accent on lawn guyland.
8. We miss having the ocean in our backyard.
Even though I do love Lake Michigan, there is a difference between an ocean beach and a lake beach. There’s nothing quite like having your town set on the beautiful Long Island sound and feeling the call of the Atlantic ocean so close by. It’s impossible not to miss the beach. Period.
9. We miss being near the city.
How can I talk about New York without mentioning the Big Apple? And when I say “the city”, I’m not referring to Chicago. You really can’t beat having the greatest city in the world, the wonderful NYC, nearby. The hustle and bustle, the stars, the food, the sites, the lights, the history- there’s truly nothing like it.
Even if we New Yorkers venture away from our hometowns, our hearts will always be back on the east coast.