What do you think about the midwest? (school, universities)

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Heyooooo

Im from Upstate NY and find that most people from the Midwest are grounded, down to earth, blue collar, intelligent, and not fazed by materialism that is rampant on the coasts. Two of the best cities in the country (Chicago and Minneapolis) and one of the best in the world (Chicago).

And this is a bad thing?


Midwest has boring geography? Well, nobody is clamoring over the geography in the East either. Upstate NY has nice valleys and "mountains" but hardly anything to stay for. The West has this won quite easily.

See, here we go again . . . look I love the midwest too, but why on earth do people insist on throwing around the term materialistic.

Sure, California and New York area certainly have their fair share and there are those that take it over the top than in the midwest, but materialism includes getting a bigger house . . . right? Where can you afford to do that? Thats right . . . in the midwest where the cost of living is lower. No one . . . moves to California to get a huge house, they move their to enjoy and experience all the things that it offers from the ocean to the mountains all times of the year, the different things to do in the city, and are willing to get a small apartment with a roommate.

And blue collar? You just confirmed that California has lots of rednecks!! Not to say the two are synonymous.

I will say that midwest cities and suburbs on average are better for starting a family, because one can get a single family home much more easily than on the coasts, and people are less transient, so you can have a group of family and friends that you grow up with the whole time.

I will also say, that in the midwest too, its easy to feel like you missed the boat in terms of finding a girl to settle down with when you get to about 30. In LA I meet a lot more single people (and good quality people) just because there are so many of them. Even in Chicago, even in the hip, young adult neighborhoods it can feel a little like being a fish out of water, if you don't have the references to Big Ten university life, etc. In LA young single adults live all over the city, and they are from all over the country and world.

[smpliving]

I grew up in an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, lived there and in San Francisco for the first 36 years of my life, and now live in Iowa for several years. I had the same preconceived ideas about the Midwest until I moved here. Beautiful scenery, excellent healthcare, excellent quality of education, fantastic place to raise kids, clean, high income in comparison to COL, educated population, a lot of wealth ... it's just that people here don't show it off like in California. As far as diversity, I work for a large University teaching hospital with people from all over the world. I enjoy visiting California and other areas of the country, but am always glad to come back to a less crowded and much less hectic pace of life with clean air and bright blue skies.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

See, here we go again . . . look I love the midwest too, but why on earth do people insist on throwing around the term materialistic.

Sure, California and New York area certainly have their fair share and there are those that take it over the top than in the midwest, but materialism includes getting a bigger house . . . right? Where can you afford to do that? Thats right . . . in the midwest where the cost of living is lower. No one . . . moves to California to get a huge house, they move their to enjoy and experience all the things that it offers from the ocean to the mountains all times of the year, the different things to do in the city, and are willing to get a small apartment with a roommate.

And blue collar? You just confirmed that California has lots of rednecks!! Not to say the two are synonymous.

I will say that midwest cities and suburbs on average are better for starting a family, because one can get a single family home much more easily than on the coasts, and people are less transient, so you can have a group of family and friends that you grow up with the whole time.

I will also say, that in the midwest too, its easy to feel like you missed the boat in terms of finding a girl to settle down with when you get to about 30. In LA I meet a lot more single people (and good quality people) just because there are so many of them. Even in Chicago, even in the hip, young adult neighborhoods it can feel a little like being a fish out of water, if you don't have the references to Big Ten university life, etc. In LA young single adults live all over the city, and they are from all over the country and world.

Because they are. Im from the Northeast. Its more status driven, wealth driven, reality tv driven, materialistic, US revolves around us mentality, etc.


Affordability doesnt mean **** when most are still driven to the coasts, and most of which I know, still do that now.


Midwesterners arent close-minded people as some are suggesting either. Ironically, the most close-minded people I know are from the East and West, because most dont leave their little bubble since they seem to think the world revolves around there.

I know tons and tons of very well-educated and cultured Midwesterners. Tons. Im just telling it how it is and not playing it into stereotypes.

Its all it is. A stereotype. I have no personal agenda to carry out stereotypes either, so why not tell it how it is?

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by iagal

I grew up in an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, lived there and in San Francisco for the first 36 years of my life, and now live in Iowa for several years. I had the same preconceived ideas about the Midwest until I moved here. Beautiful scenery, excellent healthcare, excellent quality of education, fantastic place to raise kids, clean, high income in comparison to COL, educated population, a lot of wealth ... it's just that people here don't show it off like in California. As far as diversity, I work for a large University teaching hospital with people from all over the world. I enjoy visiting California and other areas of the country, but am always glad to come back to a less crowded and hectic pace of life with clean air and bright blue skies.

Spot on and thank you.


I have many friends in Iowa, and honestly, some I met are/were more educated and more traveled than even me, and I have been a lot of places.


The Midwest, like I was saying, is more grounded and practical.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Heyooooo

Because they are. Im from the Northeast. Its more status driven, wealth driven, reality tv driven, materialistic, US revolves around us mentality, etc.


Affordability doesnt mean **** when most are still driven to the coasts, and most of which I know, still do that now.


Midwesterners arent close-minded people as some are suggesting either. Ironically, the most close-minded people I know are from the East and West, because most dont leave their little bubble since they seem to think the world revolves around there.

I know tons and tons of very well-educated and cultured Midwesterners. Tons. Im just telling it how it is and not playing it into stereotypes.

Its all it is. A stereotype. I have no personal agenda to carry out stereotypes either, so why not tell it how it is?

Oh, I'm not arguing about well educated midwesterners. Not at all. I think the public universities of the midwest are the crown jewels of the region. I actually think the Big Ten universities are the best, but it seems like there is an alumni club that feels a little exclusive. And thats coming from someone who went to school in Michigan.

Like I said also, New York, LA, SF, may have some of the higher end of douchebaggery, but outside of that, most people are pretty cool. And I think there are lots of open mindedness in the midwest. Again though, its largely university life, and certain enclaves in the cities and suburbs. (I have fairly strong opinions about which are the open minded enclaves in the midwest and which are not).

Personally I love Ohio and Michigan, and think the cities there are some of the most underrated and negatively stereotyped cities in the country.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by iagal

I grew up in an affluent suburb of Los Angeles, lived there and in San Francisco for the first 36 years of my life, and now live in Iowa for several years. I had the same preconceived ideas about the Midwest until I moved here. Beautiful scenery, excellent healthcare, excellent quality of education, fantastic place to raise kids, clean, high income in comparison to COL, educated population, a lot of wealth ... it's just that people here don't show it off like in California. As far as diversity, I work for a large University teaching hospital with people from all over the world. I enjoy visiting California and other areas of the country, but am always glad to come back to a less crowded and much less hectic pace of life with clean air and bright blue skies.

California has more true wilderness than the midwest easily. But people, don't know about it, because there are many that hardly ever leave the cities.

Meanwhile the midwest does have scenery and nature, but its not really wild, and it doesn't change much over geographic distance, since you basically have farms and private land everywhere. I value the corn crops of Iowa, but you can't really hike through them. And where you do have woods, you can easily get lost, as while beautiful in the fall, they are dense and flat. Its easy to get lost even in small wooded state parks.

But I do agree, like I said, as far as college towns go, the midwest is tops.

[Heyooooo]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Oh, I'm not arguing about well educated midwesterners. Not at all. I think the public universities of the midwest are the crown jewels of the region. I actually think the Big Ten universities are the best, but it seems like there is an alumni club that feels a little exclusive. And thats coming from someone who went to school in Michigan.

Like I said also, New York, LA, SF, may have some of the higher end of douchebaggery, but outside of that, most people are pretty cool. And I think there are lots of open mindedness in the midwest. Again though, its largely university life, and certain enclaves in the cities and suburbs. (I have fairly strong opinions about which are the open minded enclaves in the midwest and which are not).

Personally I love Ohio and Michigan, and think the cities there are some of the most underrated and negatively stereotyped cities in the country.

Now ask yourself is that indicative of the city/region itself or is it just because those two cities draw those kinds of people? (which are from everywhere, even the Midwest)

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Heyooooo

Now ask yourself is that indicative of the city/region itself or is it just because those two cities draw those kinds of people? (which are from everywhere, even the Midwest)

The latter. Living in LA, I've observed for the most part, that the natives who live away from West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, etc. and in less glitzy areas are for the most part down to earth and could care less about celebrities. The douchebaggery from what I have seen mostly came here for the entertainment industry. (even though I am transplant too, I could also care less about celebrities, sure I go to a free TV taping once in a while, and I looked into doing extra work to make a tiny bit of extra cash (which I ended up not doing) but other than that - no.)

[smpliving]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

California has more true wilderness than the midwest easily. But people, don't know about it, because there are many that hardly ever leave the cities.

Meanwhile the midwest does have scenery and nature, but its not really wild, and it doesn't change much over geographic distance, since you basically have farms and private land everywhere. I value the corn crops of Iowa, but you can't really hike through them. And where you do have woods, you can easily get lost, as while beautiful in the fall, they are dense and flat. Its easy to get lost even in small wooded state parks.

But I do agree, like I said, as far as college towns go, the midwest is tops.

I disagree. The bluffs along the Mississippi River and the topography in the northeastern part of Iowa isn't flat at all, and much different than the hilly and more flat farmland of central/western Iowa. The northern woods of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is absolutely majestic, especially along Lake Michigan as you go further north. In my opinion, the Upper Pennisula is just as rugged, wild, and beautiful as California (Shasta, Sequoias, Big Sur, etc).

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by iagal

I disagree. The bluffs along the Mississippi River and the topography in the northeastern part of Iowa isn't flat at all, and much different than the hilly and more flat farmland of central/western Iowa. The northern woods of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is absolutely majestic, especially along Lake Michigan as you go further north. In my opinion, the Upper Pennisula is just as rugged, wild, and beautiful as California (Shasta, Sequoias, Big Sur, etc).

You're right. I actually went to school in Marquette, the biggest town in the U.P. It would be nice however, it winters were more mild and a little closer to a major city. (as well as less buggy in the summer). I teach earth science and related topics, so I'm a bit of a plate tectonics kind of geek. The great lakes are beautiful absolutely, but I'm still fascinated by all the marine life of the Pacific. The thought of seeing tide pools, seals, pelicans, even dolphins any time I want still is so amazing for me being a transplant to California.