1. A “Coney Island” doesn’t mean that much to you.
Up until not too long ago, you thought it was an amusement park in Brooklyn, and only that.
2. You haven’t seen your parents in at least 2 months.
Unless one of you literally gets on a plane, they’re not coming to take you out for brunch and you’re stuck doing your own laundry.
3. You used to think 40 degrees was cold.
But now you don’t. In the spring after a brutal Michigan winter, you’re right there with those crazy Midwesterners, day-drinking studying outside and ditching your jacket.
4. You’re shocked at how nice other drivers are.
You’ve driven 12 miles and nobody’s honked, so either you’re magically a better driver up in the Mitten or people here are really, really nice.
5. You’re shocked at how nice everyone is, really.
Whether it’s your server at dinner, your cab driver, someone you’re standing with in an elevator, the cashier who rings you up at Trader Joe’s—everyone seems to actually care about how your day is going. It’s weird, but you don’t hate it.
6. You’re only slightly familiar with the Michigan-hand-map thing.
There’s West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills, wherever that big mall is, Novi, and East Lansing (ew), and you can’t really think of any of the other ones, sorry. Everything is like 40 minutes away or less, right?
7. You have a really strong opinion about how locally-available bagels compare to your beloved hometown bagels.
We get it. Stop yelling—you’re ruining brunch for everyone.
8. You literally can’t believe people here survive without Dunkin Donuts/Publix/In-N-Out/Wawa/Ralph’s/whatever.
It’s a tough adjustment, but you’re stronger because of it. And it makes it so much better when you’re home.
9. You get so excited when you see someone else in your hometown wearing Michigan clothes.
Whether you’re at a supermarket or a music festival, you have an ever-so-slight urge to hug them. Even if it’s Leonardo DiCaprio.
Ann Arbor might not be where you were born, but it’s where your heart is. (aww!)