By Molly Hammond, Storage.com
Finding your place in this world can be pretty difficult, not to mention how hard it can be to move there. Storage.com is here to help with the moving process, either by providing storage or helping you find the ideal place to call home.
Graduating from college marks the first time in a young professional’s life that there’s no prescribed “next step.” You could get married, backpack around Europe for a few months, or interview at every company that’s hiring until you score your first job (and that beautiful full-time salary). The options are endless.
For many, however, that next step is relocating to one of the biggest cities in the country. Sometimes, that’s just across the state; other times, it’s a life-changing move to the East Coast or West Coast. For born-and-bred Midwesterners, this can be a huge adjustment (or a dream-come-true moment).
Fortunately, people from the Midwest have some advantages when it comes to being the new fish in the pond, whether that’s in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, or Houston. Check out these five reasons why Midwesterners totally kill it in new cities!
1. THEY’RE NICE.
In Nebraska, they call it being “Nebraska Nice,” and other Midwest states have their own variations. Why? Because there’s truth to the stereotype that Midwesterners are warmer than their coastal counterparts.
In Midwest states, you’re likely to find genuine eye contact, unsolicited smiles, and general helpfulness. These are all traits Midwest transplants tend to bring with them wherever they go. That’s not to say that no one in New York ever smiles, or that every person from the center of the country is an unwavering delight. But since courtesy is second nature to so many from the Midwest, it’s easy for them to ingratiate themselves in a new place. Whether it’s smiling at cashiers or asking a new boss about her child, sincerity can take Midwesterners a long way in both their personal and professional lives.
2. THEY’RE NEW.
One of the best things about Midwest transplants in the big city is their enthusiasm, especially for things that long-time urbanites take for granted. People who have lived in huge cities their whole lives may not be able to understand just how exciting it is to be surrounded by the amazing food of other cultures at all times. Or how unreal it is to take the subway home rather than having to designate (or worse, be designated) a driver.
This means Midwest transplants are down for trying new things and really enjoying each moment. From finally experiencing a world where sandy beaches are a block away to spotting celebrities shopping in the same store, things that are been-there-done-that to natives will keep Midwest transplants happy.
3. THEY CAME TO WORK.
Despite what people outside of the Midwest think, living in the Midwest doesn’t necessarily mean growing up and living on a farm (Read: Most people don’t have cows). That said, Midwesterners—whether they came from a farm, the suburbs, or the inner city—have a serious work ethic. And that’s because the Midwest mentality is all about doing hard work and earning your keep.
The decision to move isn’t one that anyone takes very lightly, so to uproot and move to a competitive job market where rent is at least double what a Midwesterner is used to requires real ambition. So when it comes time to move for a specific job opportunity or just to “make it” in one of America’s biggest cities, you can bet someone from that “flyover state” is going to work their tail off.
4. THEY’RE THE IDEAL ROOMMATE.
Midwest transplants are basically everyone’s dream roomie. Think about the points we’ve made. They’re nice, they’re psyched about trying new experiences, and they’re always working hard. In other words, they’re not going to cause problems, they’ll be cool with grabbing coffee or checking out the nightlife, and they’ll probably keep up on the apartment chores. What more could someone want in a roommate?
Also, many Midwesterners come from big families, where they’re constantly surrounded by siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, so they have good people skills. It means they’re used to sharing a living space as well, so the chances of them being an inconsiderate roommate are few and far between.
5. THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE.
Iowans can only hear about Prince Farming so many times. Kansans reached their Wizard of Oz joke threshold long before they moved out of Johnson County. South Dakotans don’t really need to hear about the one time your family went to Mount Rushmore and “it was sort of boring.” And while a Midwesterner can easily answer other people’s questions about how to cook a good steak and what it’s like having all four seasons, they’ll probably be looking to shed those stereotypes as fast as possible.
It’s not that they lack hometown or home-state pride. In fact, that’s just the opposite! They’ll always stand up for their favorite college and pro teams from back home, and they may never drop their regional dialect (Eh, Minnesota?). But they did move to a big city away from home for a reason—to forge an identity all their own.
At the end of the day, people are people, and the successful ones will do great things no matter where they land. But if you’re a Midwesterner worried about making the big move to a new city, take comfort in the fact that you’re pretty much already set up for success just by being who you are. So get out there!
