Less than a year until salvation (Plymouth, Lakeville: environment, motel, job)

[fitra]

I am so glad someone from Minnesota sees what I (a southerner) see. I am ready to go too.

[MomsTn]

I'm not from Minnesota either.
My roots are in Tennessee...
I'll finally be able to get back to them...
soon.

Originally Posted by fitra

I am so glad someone from Minnesota sees what I (a southerner) see. I am ready to go too.

[amerikanerin83]

I am a MN native as well, but from the northern part. I have also done my share of traveling, including spending a semester in Europe. However, as a 23-year-old nearing graduation, I could not disagree with you more. Minnesota is absolutely breathtaking. From the forests to the lakes to the hills of Duluth, if you have any interest in Nature at all, this is heaven. Most of the state has low population density, which makes it easy to explore. Most people own a fair amount of land in the cities and out. There are thousands of miles of trails (paved and rugged) for hiking, rollerblading, biking, snowmobiling, or whatever your preference of exercise. Sure, the winters are long and sometimes rough, but as a whole, each of the four seasons are beautiful in their own ways in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Education is an issue that is important to me, as I am graduating from UMD with a teaching major. One thing that non-teachers don't understand about the profession or "school ratings" is how the system is evaluated. Standardized test scores or other "curriculum reports" are based completely on arbitrary numbers that speak to the teachers' abilities to prepare students for tests, not the actual learning that goes on in classrooms. As far as education goes, Minnesota has one of the highest standards in the country for licensing teachers, making us MN grads marketable and preferable throughout the US. Of course, like everywhere, a degree doesn't make a good teacher... but there are as much of us around here as anywhere else.

Most of what you described in your post reflects America as a whole, not Minnesota. I for one consider this state home and will do whatever I can to stay here.

[mrkool]

I am all for you (or anyone) who has lived all their lives in one area, to get out and see/live other places. Especially when you're young. I did it by spending 12 yrs in the military. Moved around, saw lots of places, and it was a very positive experience. Ended up now living in a state about 2000 miles from my hometown.
However, there is no need to be bitter about the place you are leaving. You refer to "racist kids", and "pseudo-ambitious or unambitious people." The fact is, I think you grew up in a pretty safe and prosperous place. Don't knock it. Not everyone is so lucky.
I can see wanting to escape the weather. Minnesota weather ain't for everyone. I'm in Wisconsin.
The grass is always greener on the other side. But by all means, experiencing new people, places, and things can be a great. Good luck.

[Stonecoldharbours]

I am 43, and have lived all over the eastern seaboard for most my life, sometimes in big cities, sometimes in a suburb and once in a very rural area, and I am thinking of moving to the midwest cause I want a safe nice place to raise our child, your priorities change as you age and have children, trust me, at one time I hated some towns too and found them boring, till I lived some and seen what drugs and crime does to a person, it made me rethink and revalue what is best for me and my family.

[Lindenin]

Los Angeles - 2 years
Denver - 3 years
New York City - 1 year
Asheville, North Carolina - 2 years
Chicago - 6 years

Those are the places we lived and enjoyed, before we moved to Minneapolis completely by choice. Now, we're staying here for a long time. Were any of those places we lived before all great or all bad? No. They all had some great qualities as well as some problems.

Minneapolis has many great qualities. I won't go into them all because there is probably no point -- many who read this thread are probably simply trying to commiserate with others who happen to not like it here.

But it is all about what fits you. And Minnesota fits us. If somewhere else fits you better, then by all means go there and be happy!!! You are free to choose.

[tizzle42]

Originally Posted by ComfortablyNumb

I'm 21 and about to graduate from the University of Wisconsin. I have spent 21 years in either Minnesota or Wisconsin. I have also travelled considerably. And after all of this, I think it is safe to say the only person who would ever want to live in Minnesota or Wisconsin... was born in the midwest. And probably not in Chicago.

Growing up in Maple Grove, you are kept in a shell of ignorance your entire developing life. When you go to places like ANYWHERE ELSE, especially on the coasts, you see how America actually is. You see that it's not just a bunch of psuedo-wealthy racist kids and mediocre ethnic restaurants and neighborhoods that Twin-Cities-ers love to brag about. It's schools are cake and overrated (An honest report in Washington evaluating every states curriculum gave Minnesota a D). You see that Minnesota has absolutely nothing to offer, besides cheap living, and that it's just pathetic. Plus, the winters only make this worse. I was talking about the summer.

It's affordable, though... but thats because there isn't much demand to live there.

Anyway, next January, I am out of the midwest for good, and I hope to never come back for any reason whatsoever. Any one else share my dislike of the midwest?

I don't get why so many people in Minnesota think it's so great. It's just like so many people in Madison think Madison is great. Madison is neat, but it's not great... or anything even close... and anyone who thinks that is just stupid, just like people in Minnesota. Minnesota has this lame inferiority complex; It knows everyone thinks its lame and sucks, and it loves to get super defensive and throw around stats or factoids (Highest somalian concentration!) that no one cares about. Everyone is really psuedo-ambitious or totally unambitious, which explains why tons more people leave the state than move in (-14,000 between 2000 and 2005!).

So I'm sure you'll say "Don't let the door hit you on your way out," but I just wanted to voice my elation at the fact that I am finally breaking out.

Did I post this?

[TimtheGuy]

I would love to see Confortably's response in 15 to 20 years. He/She will probably end up moving back as many of us do once we realize how good it is here.

It's affordable, though... but thats because there isn't much demand to live there.

In Maple Grove????? The chesse must have gotten to him/her!

[Lindenin]

To those who "can't wait to leave" -- Please Go!! It doesn't do you any good to be here if you don't like it, and it certainly doesn't do Minnesota any good to have people here who are wishing their time away.

Minnesota will be just fine without you, and we are rational enough to realize that not every single person will want to spend the rest of their life here! I can't tell someone else where they should live or why, only that I can live anywhere for my work and I choose to live in Minnesota.

So, please, go... be happy..... and find the place for you.

[summer grace]

Originally Posted by ComfortablyNumb

I'm 21 and about to graduate from the University of Wisconsin. I have spent 21 years in either Minnesota or Wisconsin. I have also travelled considerably. And after all of this, I think it is safe to say the only person who would ever want to live in Minnesota or Wisconsin... was born in the midwest. And probably not in Chicago.

Growing up in Maple Grove, you are kept in a shell of ignorance your entire developing life. When you go to places like ANYWHERE ELSE, especially on the coasts, you see how America actually is. You see that it's not just a bunch of psuedo-wealthy racist kids and mediocre ethnic restaurants and neighborhoods that Twin-Cities-ers love to brag about. It's schools are cake and overrated (An honest report in Washington evaluating every states curriculum gave Minnesota a D). You see that Minnesota has absolutely nothing to offer, besides cheap living, and that it's just pathetic. Plus, the winters only make this worse. I was talking about the summer.

It's affordable, though... but thats because there isn't much demand to live there.

Anyway, next January, I am out of the midwest for good, and I hope to never come back for any reason whatsoever. Any one else share my dislike of the midwest?

I don't get why so many people in Minnesota think it's so great. It's just like so many people in Madison think Madison is great. Madison is neat, but it's not great... or anything even close... and anyone who thinks that is just stupid, just like people in Minnesota. Minnesota has this lame inferiority complex; It knows everyone thinks its lame and sucks, and it loves to get super defensive and throw around stats or factoids (Highest somalian concentration!) that no one cares about. Everyone is really psuedo-ambitious or totally unambitious, which explains why tons more people leave the state than move in (-14,000 between 2000 and 2005!).

So I'm sure you'll say "Don't let the door hit you on your way out," but I just wanted to voice my elation at the fact that I am finally breaking out.

I too don't like the midwest. I actually live in a boring town in IA right now, that no one should have to live in who has brains. I was born in the very North of MN. I lived in that state all my childhood, except for four years in Iowa, and later came to Iowa for college- I'm 20 almost 21. All I can say is, in about two years when I''m done with college, I hope to be very gone, although it might be a few years after that. Sure, it's not totally bad, but I want to live on the East Coast that I've never even seen, but from which is in my blood, so to speak.

I want to live in NH ( maybe in my dreams) or the Finger Lakes Area of New York, or Upstate NY, but that could change. That's what led me to this forum. Maybe that sounds impractical.. At any rate, the midwest doesn't give me any sense of calling- maybe it's just me- while pictures of the East Coast do. As for MN, the whole state is dull, as for the Twin Cities, I've never lived there, but I'm familiar with it, and let's just say I don't like it. You can't live the rest of your life in a place with no sense of connection. I've wanted to leave since I was six- that's pretty young, and my mind hasn't changed in all those years. Sounds like I'm one of many on this thread though.