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Don't rule out leaving the Mitten

November 21, 2013

Summer Ballentine is the State News opinion editor. Reach her at sballentine@statenews.com.

Politicians, parents and even friends will tell you to stay in Michigan after graduation. I’ve heard about the brain drain more times than I can count, and I understand keeping grads in the state will help its recovery from the Great Recession.

But given the chance, I won’t hesitate to move to another state or region once I’m handed my diploma next month.

I spent a summer in Columbus, Ohio, hanging out in a hipster’s paradise of old bookstores, coffee houses and restaurants called the Short North arts district. I visited the Lincoln Memorial by moonlight when I moved to Washington, D.C. I posed for the obligatory “Rocky” photo outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art and munched on countless cheesesteaks when I lived in Philly.

Each new city taught me something different about myself and what I do and don’t like. The East Coast is fast-paced but ungodly expensive. Philadelphians have a fierce loyalty to their city, but can be a tad sharp. I love how friendly everyone in the Midwest is (yes, even in Ohio), but winter makes me want to curl up in a blanket burrito for the next three-plus months.

If you hate the cold like I do, don’t feel obligated to stay in Michigan. Sick of driving every day? Move to a city with better public transportation. Want to smoke pot legally or marry someone from the same sex? Pack your bags and head to Denver or Seattle. No one is keeping you in the state. There’s a whole world out there to explore, and chances are you’ll find another place you’ll like the same or even more than Michigan.

Knowing I can survive in a completely foreign place gives me a sense of confidence and independence I wouldn’t trade for anything. I used to get nervous about a spontaneous trip to Grand Rapids. Now, a trip to the Big Apple or Baltimore seems like a walk in the park.

I have friends across the country from California to Connecticut, and I’ve met people from across the world. I know I have a place to stay if I ever want to visit New York City or Chicago for a weekend.

Living outside of Michigan puts things in perspective. The world isn’t as big as it seems. An hour drive from MSU to my home near Flint. doesn’t seem so far anymore. It also helped me realize that I would rather stay closer to home, at least for my first job. Cutting ties was easy before, but now I have an almost 9-month old brother, so staying in the Midwest is more important to me.

But staying close to home isn’t the same for me now. Before, “close” meant living with my mom or at most the next city over. Now, even being in the same region is reasonable to me. The at least 10-hour drive from most of the East Coast was absolutely miserable, but now a four or five hour commute seems like a cakewalk.

The point is, I would never turn down an opportunity to live in Chicago or Indianapolis because I want to stay in the state. While we’re young and not yet established, we should take advantage of our freedom to branch out while we still can. Even if you find out that West Coast living isn’t your style, it’s worth it to realize you’re meant to stay in Michigan or the Midwest.

As much as I love the Mitten, I love the experience of getting to know a new city or state. Maybe I’ll end up here in a few years, and I’m fine with that, too. But I’m not about to sacrifice a job or my own sense of adventure to stay where I feel comfortable. You’re not tethered to Michigan, so take a chance and explore what else the U.S. has to offer.

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