“Being in the Midwest, you get the best of all worlds and add your own flavor to it” – Big Sean

It’s the heart and soul of our country. We’re known for our open, blunt personalities along with our distinct weather conditions and delicious food. We’re home to Chicago, the nation’s third-largest city, while simultaneously sporting acres of farmland. Our freshwater beaches (courtesy of the Great Lakes) give us the western flair while our skyscrapers are no stranger to the east. In other words, we’ve got it all.

You rave about In-n-Out, I’ll proudly hold up Portillo’s. You gush over sunny days and palm trees, and I’ll show you autumn’s changing colors and the first snowfall laying over our evergreen trees. You say soda, we’ll say pop. Deeper the Dish of pizza, the happier we are. 45 degrees isn’t that cold and puppy chow isn’t meant for dogs. Midwestern hospitality means holding open doors for strangers and smiling at your neighbor. We add cheese to everything and we don’t mess around when it comes to potatoes (tater tots, anyone?).

These are simply the perks. I’m not saying this is what we are limited to and I’m definitely not making these exclusive to the Midwest—but, they are still aspects of our identity.

You can take me to Florida, Jersey or even Oregon. Chances are, I’ll compare something—no matter how insignificant—to the Midwest. I’m all about seeing new places and experiencing new things, but I never fail to remember that everything about the Midwest, in one word, is home.

We are what make the United States a “melting pot.” We don’t have Hollywood or Wall Street, but we still have day-to-day people who lead lives worth talking about even if they aren’t in the public eye. Living in a small town is no surprise—which undoubtedly breeds our desire for adventure. Community and neighborhood are practically synonymous. We’re the place that authors try to encapsulate in their novels. We’re home to Walt Disney and Oprah, Obama and Michael Jackson. Family time is a priority and togetherness is second nature. The original Windows screensaver isn’t our only view—our skylines remind us to go big while our plains show us that simplicity is beautiful.

The Midwest. Mid. Middle. We enjoy moderation but we are no stranger to extremes, whether it may be extreme weather conditions or extra cheese on our pizza. Although we appreciate temperance, we know how to adapt when things don’t go our way. We have learned to expect the unexpected and to roll with the punches.

People say that the coasts are the place to be if you want to “make it big.” They fail to mention that the Midwest is a tabula rasa—a blank slate—for you to be whomever you want to be. It’s the fresh start everyone craves and the perfect opportunity everyone wants. Hard work is our signature and determination is in our blood. We go after what we deserve and help each other up along the way—not because we don’t believe in competition, but because we know that the limelight is big enough for everyone.

This is who we are.

You can take a girl out of the Midwest, but you can’t take the Midwest out of the girl.

It’s more than a region, it’s our trademark.