In an unsurprising and highly precedented move, I am officially announcing that I will not be moving back to Indiana after graduation. I know this may come as a surprise to literally no one, especially those who have visited Indiana. But, seeing as though there are so few, it seems that everyone else already figured out that Indiana isn’t really the place to be.
My reasons for staying in New York are layered and emotionally complex. But, if I were to distill them into a single breath, I suppose I’d say: it’s because it’s Indiana.
I’m heartbroken to leave behind the luxuries of home: affordable housing, most of my friends, and my entire bloodline. But I’m thrilled to gain things like a bunch of independent movie theaters, super expensive cigarettes, and a deli guy who calls me “boss.” Indeed, a dream has been realized.
I know I’ll miss the simple joys of Indiana, like weddings in barns, silence, and buildings without urine in the stairwells, but I am ready to embrace my new life. Thank you, Indiana. You raised me. You made me strong. But you also gave me fourteen different cousins named Brayden. And for that, I must go.
