During my first semester in Connecticut, I was not surprised to see the surprise on people's faces when I told them I live in Montana. Of course, this stems from attending a prestigious liberal arts college on the east coast while most of the people I graduated with went to school in-state. But, fortunately, I was already very well adjusted to this concept. Having just over a million people and 2.55 million cattle residing in over 147,000 square miles, no major league sports teams, and only 3% of Yellowstone National Park, Montana isn't exactly on everyone's radar. To the people who call Montana home, however, nowhere else will do.
only began thinking of this while on the second leg of my flight home, confused as I searched for the tiny Bozeman airport that seemed invisible amongst the beautiful snow-covered landscape. I never ended up seeing the terminal until we actually stopped in front of it, but I was more than relieved to have touched down. After thinking about it more, I figured out some of the experiences I feel are shared by all Montanans.
1. You joke around that meteorology is a useless subject.
When you travel to Montana for the first time, you may encounter some rather nice and stable weather for the first 20 or so minutes. Yet all Montanans know that our version of Mother Nature is not exactly even-tempered. Especially during the spring and summer, the weather can (and will) change at a moment's notice. Some days will shift from unbearably dry heat to severe thunderstorms with sheets of rain and quarter-sized hail to clear and mild within the span of a few hours. You have to be prepared for anything because it is literally impossible to predict what nature will do next.
2. You consider huckleberry to be a state treasure.
At first, I never understood why practically every Montanan was obsessed with huckleberries. That was until I tried them. These little berries are incredibly difficult to grow, so much so that you basically have to either harvest them in the wild or buy them. While they may be a little difficult, any time/money spent on acquiring them is entirely worth it. Any jam or candy or pies or any other foods you can incorporate huckleberry into are absolutely delicious. Although Montana technically doesn't have a state fruit, I'm certain that huckleberry would be the top choice.
3. The only seasons you experience are winter and construction.
Construction is something that can't really be done with half a foot of snow on the ground in sub-zero temperatures. Thus, when traveling in Montana, you'll often encounter several different projects going on in major highways that lasts for months thanks to the vast expanses these roads have to cover. Winter truly begins in late fall and ends mid-spring, a time period in which not warming up your car for at least ten minutes will lead to unbearable suffering.
4. It's surprising when the state makes national headlines.
Like I said, Montana is not exactly part of the in-crowd of states. The mainstream media doesn't cover it frequently. But when it does, it tends to be pretty interesting. It takes a Ted Kaczynski before anyone in the country that hasn't been to Montana remembers the state exists. Sometimes stories end up being falsely attributed to states other than Montana. Have you ever seen this photo?
I found this image searching for the fires that happened last November in North Carolina. I remember seeing this photo everywhere in articles about the fire. But guess what? This is not a photo of North Carolina. It's from 2000 in a fire in the Bitterroot National Forest. I know I'm being a little bitter about this, but, I have a right to be petty.
5. "Snow days" are a myth.
Speaking of pettiness, I was always confused whenever I spoke to people not from Montana when they would talk about how they have snow days. They would get a day off from school to go play in the snow while we never had one in my entire life. No matter how much snow falls, it will be plowed (sometimes), so we go to school. We have no choice. It's not the best experience, but at least we can laugh at memes like this:
6. You religiously wear either blue and gold or maroon and silver.
I was slightly ostracized in middle school for not wanting to pick a sports team. Montana doesn't have any major-league sports teams, so all we can do is look to our roots and find . . . something. It comes down to two teams: the Bobcats and the Griz. Sure, most outsiders will not know anything about these teams, but Montanans tend to hold them with even more vitriol than most people during the Superbowl. Also, I won't be explaining which colors go to which team. That's insider information.
7. You've convinced someone that paved roads don't exist.
It's something I've heard quite frequently from some of my friends. They tell me stories of how they encountered people on the street in other states (California, in particular) that get confused when they hear how Montana doesn't only have horses and shoddy dirt roads. Of course, we get a kick out of it. We have the same iPhone, the same cars, the same game consoles, and everything else that a posh Californian may have. Yet we always joke around that we live in a technologically empty environment where we farm using primitive equipment and ride on horseback with a western twang in our voices. Though I will admit I am unsure if there are actually any people who have been convinced by this, but I'm certain that, if anyone has. they deserve legendary status.
8. When your friends figure out you're writing about Montana and send you this:
Enough said.
Yet not everything needs to be said with a hint of sarcasm.
9. You cannot live without being surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes.
It's said that you never know what you've got until it's gone. I grew up in the mountains, and because I rarely left Montana for longer for a few days, I never had the chance to miss it. That is, of course, until I left for college. Connecticut is basically flat, so I quickly began to miss home. I remember how joyful I felt when I got to run around in the snow back in November and be able to see a necessary glimpse of home.
The sunsets, the mountains, the rivers and lakes and glaciers, this is just some of the beauty you could experience if you travel to Montana. Glacier National Park, seen above, is a place you absolutely need to go when you travel to Montana—and it (among many other places) is something we Montanans are proud to call ours.
10. Montanans are the kindest, most hard-working and accountable people you've ever met.
Living in an almost 100% rural area with brutal winters and scorching summers teaches you certain skills after a while. In my experience, misery loves company, and Montanans have endured the same things and lived the same experiences. We know just about everything there is to know about everything when it comes to practical knowledge on how to survive, and we stick together every step of the way.
If I haven't convinced you yet, there's only one thing to say: Get lost.
