It's difficult for me to tell when something is unique to the midwest or if it's something everybody does. Sure, vocal tics like "ope" are stereotypically midwestern, but I find it hard to believe this is solely a feature of that region. I don't think I'd be laughed out of the room in New York or Texas if I said, “I'm just going to squeeze right past you,” but most non-midwesterners would opt for a simple, “excuse me" (or “pardon me” in Texas). One thing that I cannot stand by is the assertion…

When I was in college in Ohio, so many people wore shirts to football games that read “Ohio Against The World.” At the time, I thought it was pretty funny because I didn't think it was that dramatic. Is the world really that at odds with Ohio? Now that I'm no longer living in the midwest, I see that so many people hate the midwest for no real reason. I think a lot of the resentment toward the midwest is based on the coastal preconception that it's a boring place where nothing happens. What non-…

When I was younger, it was pretty common to make fun of all the midwesterners who would move to New York City. The running joke was that every “transplant” was from Ohio and that they were, well, lame as hell. As I became a mature adult, I realized that there's nothing wrong with chasing one's dreams, even if they are cliche. And as I befriended more people who were new to the city, it became clear: a lot of people from the Midwest rule. And a lot of them moved here because they were too cool f…

Living like he means it

Ope!

Ope!