Some people have Old Bay coursing through their veins.
Others have found happiness in other states.
If you are one of those Marylanders who are completely content living amongst the sunflowers and crabs, that's wonderful! However here is an explanation of why I believe Maryland isn't my perfect utopia.
I'll start by explaining what troubled me the most through middle and high school. The competitiveness. This wasn't a competitiveness that caused kids to go out in the world, do good, and volunteer their time. This competitiveness only entailed getting into the best colleges. Colleges with low acceptance rates and high name value. This caused students all across the county to only care about their GPA, and not the actual content of what they were learning in school, thus creating the 'book smart, not street smart' sensation. The idea of hands-on learning is undervalued, and real world experience is not held to the same importance as memorizing words for a test.
Reason number two is only relevant to people like me (i.e. people who like to go outside and breathe fresh air). The climate resembles Russia, but more humid. The winters are bitter and dry and the summers are unbearably hot, with 110% humidity. I may be spoiled by the clean Colorado air that I experience now, but I'm not a fan of the pollen and smog that welcomes me when I come home.
This reason is perhaps the most significant thing I noticed when I started attending the University of Colorado- the people further west are so much friendlier than these east coast folks. Maybe it's just because Colorado has a more laid back lifestyle, or people are just happier when they're surrounded by beautiful mountains and sunshine. Whatever the reason, a good majority of people in Maryland tend to be more cold and formal than I would prefer. I can confidently say that I have met some of the sweetest people out west that I could never imagine live without now.
Number four: the lack of activities. Most stores close around 9 p.m., which leaves nothing to do in the later hours besides buy a slushy at 7/11. Almost any activity requires spending money, making it hard for those on a budget to find fun. Although there is some free outdoor activities, such as hiking in Great Falls, these activities are extremely weather permitting and the weather rarely permits. Overall, there's not much to do around these parts.
Of course there are many people who are happy here. All I can write is from my own personal experiences and the significant change in mood I felt once starting college. All I know is that I don't like crabs or the Orioles and I cannot wait to get back to my dry oasis.
Peace out Maryland, you won't be missed.
