Our Perfect Futures

After thinking about what each of us want from our "perfect" world, we decided that our choices were very different from one another. Because our personalities and interests are complete opposite, the lives we want for ourselves are the same way.

Caitlin

My dream place to live would definitely be somewhere that is warm and by the beach. I have lived in Ohio since I was four years old and it is the only place I can remember living. I have grown sick of the inconsistent weather conditions and would enjoy living somewhere that has nice weather. I think Arizona would be perfect for me because it is not humid, it has great weather, and is on the coast which is a where I would like to be.

Living in a suburb would be an ideal place to live for me because it would provide me with the slower paced home lifestyle that I want. I would also like to live in a neighborhood with a strong sense of community. The neighborhood I grew up provided me with a safe place to hang out with kids my own age and play outside all day long without a care in the world. I loved this upbringing and would like the same for my family when given the chance. I want to have close relationships with my neighbors and have cookouts in the summer and parties for every holiday.

Erin

My dream house would be somewhere down south. I would love to live in a small little, country town a little outside of Nashville. I'm a country girl at heart but I will always love the city. Living outside of Nashville I will get the city feeling but also the small town comfort. I would love to live in a town where everyone knew everyone and has such a friendly atmosphere.

I want to live in a house that has a homey feeling. I want to be able to come home from a long day at work and just sit with my family at our big round dinner table and enjoy each other's company. I want to walk out of my house and be able to walk down the dirt roads to the town diner or honky tonk bar and dance all night. I would love to look around and just see all of my friends and family at a cookout and my children playing with their friends in the backyard. My dream place is where family and friends are always around and easy to get to.

Are we there yet?

My perfect place has a lot of energy. There is always something going on and there's no time to be bored. There would be a beach close by, but still have all the seasons. There would be concerts. I would always be surrounded by music or shows. I want to be able to explore different foods in my perfect place. I want to be able to walk down the street and pass an Indian, Mexican, Italian, and French restaurant, all on the same block.


My perfect place is ideally Washington, D.C. It has everything I need from a job and a fast paced lifestyle. I'd be able to do everything that I want to do after law school. I can't wait to be able to explore this city. 


I wouldn't have a house, though. I would live in an apartment, like a studio. It'd be small, but just enough space for all the necessities. I'd be able to have walk up to the roof on summer nights, just to look at the city. 


I can't wait to be there.

Living Prefences

Deciding where you want to live when you're older is a big decision. Most people are very comfortable with where they grew up, and don't want to ever leave. Being near family is often a huge incentive to stay in one's hometown. As college freshman, we know what it's like to pick up and move to somewhere new. This happens across the country with college students, but after college most adults choose where they want to live and stay there. A new place and new people is much harder to adapt to once you're older and more self-reliant.



All of 3 of us agreed that a suburban area is where we want to live. Although one of us is from the Columbus area, another from Cincinnati and the other from Pittsburgh, we all agreed our homes are very similar. We live very close to a city, but in a suburb with a good neighborhood. We all agreed that living in our hometowns is where we want to be when we're older.



Family, and just the comfortable feel of that area is most important to all of us when we decide where to move. Although weather is these areas isn't always ideal, you learn to live with it. It's nice to have a familiar place to call home. Each one of our cities gives us opportunity to explore great restaurants, concerts, and endless entertainment... less than 20 minutes away!

A beach house would be a great addition to make up for the harsh weather in the North, but it would never match up to our hometowns.

aihcalappA

I never really thought about whether or not I was Appalachian.  I figured I was near Appalachia when Appalachian State beat Michigan.  Other than that, I really didn't know a lot about it.  I decided to interview myself in hopes that I might find out more about the history of Appalachia and what exactly it is.

 
 -Did you know you were living in Appalachia?  Where exactly is Appalachia?
"Kinda... it stretches from the southern tier of New York down to northern portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia."

-What are they known for?
"Moonshine."

-There's supposedly some rumors about the region of Appalachia.  What are they?
"Early 20th-century writers portrayed the people of this area as an isolated, uneducated, violent group of people.  Sociological studies in 1970, however, disproved these portrayals."

-Do you call yourself Appalachian?
"No."

-What other things were the Appalachian people known for?
"They were internationally known for their ambushes, gunfights, and per-arranged shootouts.  Journalists depicted these as products of isolation, poverty, and even inbreeding.  In reality, the main participants were actually local elites with networks of clients fighting for political power."

What is the land like?
"A lot of southern Appalachian forests were chopped down so federal legislation was passed to create national forests similar to Yosemite and Yellowstone in the southern region of Appalachia