Thoughts on living in/near one's 'home town'

[FCollinsBuckeye]

I've recently taken a trip down memory lane and thought about the decision I made to move *way* away from my home town (Toledo) after finishing up school at Ohio State. At the time, I had rather abstract concepts of 'new places', 'new people', 'better climate', 'better ecomony' and basically a nicer place to live when I made the decision, and now as I approach 11 years in Colorado, those abstract concepts turned out to be mostly true. Self fulfilling prophecy or no-brainer? I dunno, I think there are people who genuinely like NW Ohio. I'm not one of them, aside from a fondness of my roots/old haunts/etc.

Every so often, I allow myself to imagine what life would be like had I chosen to remain in Toledo, and frankly, I end up feeling depressed. I'm not sure if it's more an indictment of Toledo, or a more broad 'tired of the old stomping grounds' thing, but I can't imagine having nearly as good a thing going in T-town than I do here.

I realize that many many people stay close to where they grew up, and many factors (not the least of which is family) go into that decision. I'm not criticizing either, just saying that staying close to 'home' wasn't for me.

We obviously have posters here at BP who post from around the country and around the globe - and the thing that brings us here is common roots in Ohio. So, those fellow Ohio 'ex-pats' - why did you leave? And those of you living near the ancestral lands - why did you stay?

 

[craigblitz]

Originally left and did a lot traveling because I wanted to see what else was out there. I wanted to see for myself if all these places were as great as I imagined. Some were, some were not.

After being gone for almost 10 years I recently moved back and I am thrilled with my decision. Obviously CBUS or Ohio in general does not offer the excitement of Boston, New York, Chicago, etc but as my son is getting older I think Ohio offers a great balance of ethnicity, diversity, opportunities, and in general is a great place to raise a family.

I personally would never move back to my home town because of a phobia I have of being old and talking to the same kids I went to High School with telling the same stories about how cool/uncool we were back then.

So in essence, I sowed what needed to be sown but in the end this is where I want my roots to remain.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

I left central Ohio for college (New Jersey) in 1998 and I've lived in NYC, Massachusetts, North Carolina and California since then. I'd still like to try living abroad too. I haven't ruled out settling down at home eventually, but, between by girlfriend and I, we're in no rush. It's great to see some very different parts of the country. I'm learning a ton about people and myself. I still haven't lost my love for home, and I don't actually get a sad feeling when I consider going back. It's just not nearly time yet.

 

[NorthShoreBuck]

I left for a job and a woman. I don't have either anymore. It was a win win.

I make it back once a year. The weather and the economy aren't to my liking. My best friends and some of my family are still in Ohio.

 

[PrincetonBuckeye]

I left NE Ohio to go to school. I had always known that I would not return. (other than to visit) I moved to Texas after college and have fallin in love with everything about Texas. There have been a few times in the past 15+ years that I have gotten a little homesick. I just take a quick trip back home and the homesickness is gone.

 

[NFBuck]

Left NE Ohio for tOSU after high school. After a year of less than stellar academic effort, I joined the Air Force. I initially only planned to stay for four years, then return to Ohio for school again. Spent a little over a year in the Mojave Desert just outside of Palmdale, CA and three years in England. Applied for and got accepted to retrain into Weather in the Air Force and decided to stick with it. Lived just outside St. Louis for a little over 5 years and enjoyed it, but I always seemed to get a little antsy being in one place for too long. Volunteered for a year in Korea so I could move on to Colorado, a place I've always wanted to live. Since leaving Ohio, I've always gotten a little restless being in one place too long, but I see Colorado Springs as a place I could put down roots. I have a little over 8 years until I can retire, so I hope to serve out my time here. As far as leaving Ohio, it was never my intention to leave permanently, buit once I got out and saw a good bit of the world, I decided it was a part of my past. I love visiting since I still have most of my family there and remain close with many of my friends from my youth. In fact, I usually get back a couple times a year for a couple weeks at a time. Each time I'm reminded how glad I am that I wasn't too scared to leave.

 

[The KSB]

Obviously in my line of work I had to move away. However, I did have a break in service and returned home for a while. While I miss Ohio and loathe Oklahoma I don't see myself every returning for good. I can't speek for other parts of Ohio, but the Youngstown area is to ingrained in the past and is waiting for the steel mills to return.

 

[OSUsushichic]

I wanted to stay close to home when I went to college. My father had just passed away, so I didn't want to be far from my mom and brother. But college changed me. I started to realize how sheltered I had been living in such a small town, and after I matured a bit I was ready to see more of the country than just mid-Ohio. It helped that the career I wanted to pursue was so specialized that it forced me to attend an out-of-state graduate school. I couldn't get much further from home than Arizona. :)

Since graduating from ASU I've been able to experience life in various areas of the country, including a few years living back in Columbus. I could always move back to Columbus, but that's the only place I could live in Ohio. Boston has been my favorite place, and I'd love to stay here, but it's looking more and more likely that a year from now I will be living in yet another part of the country (either Tucson, Buffalo, or Bloomington, Indiana). It's exciting and stressful at the same time!

 

[DaytonBuck]

I have mixed feelings about the subject. I thought for a long time I'd want to end back up back in Dayton. The last several times I've been back to Dayton the luster has really worn off of the Gem City for me. I really don't want to live in Columbus any longer but I don't think Dayton is where I'll end up.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I have mixed feelings about the subject. I thought for a long time I'd want to end back up back in Dayton. The last several times I've been back to Dayton the luster has really worn off of the Gem City for me. I really don't want to live in Columbus any longer but I don't think Dayton is where I'll end up.

Norton? Jumbo? Martel?

 

[OCBucksFan]

Meh, I was born in Troy, my Dad left my Mom when I was only a couple years old, so my mom moved to Dayton, then later to Columbus, she met my step-dad, got an offer to work for Boeing here in Southern Cali, so she moved here when I was 10 or 11. Basically, I have been back to Ohio a few times since, but mostly for small visits, see games, visit the remaining relatives I have there and what-not. For the most part, I am a SoCal guy now, Columbus or Cleveland isn't really that large of a "culture gap" or anything like that, just I am used to here.

After 13 years in the IT industry, in this area, I couldn't imagine leaving for any reason, though I will be honest, something about Portland makes me want to move there, if it wasn't for the the fact that there isn't shit for tech jobs there.

 

[jwinslow]

After 13 years in the IT industry, in this area, I couldn't imagine leaving for any reason, though I will be honest, something about Portland makes me want to move there, if it wasn't for the the fact that there isn't shit for tech jobs there.

The seasonal affective disorder? Justification for being a blazer fan? (I've been planning to becoming a fan of Oden's team since he verballed here).

 

[OCBucksFan]

The seasonal affective disorder? Justification for being a blazer fan? (I've been planning to becoming a fan of Oden's team since he verballed here).

I think it has something to do with the full nude, full bar strip clubs.

 

[OCBuckWife]

I think it has something to do with the full nude, full bar strip clubs.

And the contortionist strippers. Let's not forget the real issue here.

 

[starBUCKS]

I wanted to stay close to home when I went to college. My father had just passed away, so I didn't want to be far from my mom and brother. But college changed me. I started to realize how sheltered I had been living in such a small town, and after I matured a bit I was ready to see more of the country than just mid-Ohio. It helped that the career I wanted to pursue was so specialized that it forced me to attend an out-of-state graduate school. I couldn't get much further from home than Arizona. :)

Since graduating from ASU I've been able to experience life in various areas of the country, including a few years living back in Columbus. I could always move back to Columbus, but that's the only place I could live in Ohio. Boston has been my favorite place, and I'd love to stay here, but it's looking more and more likely that a year from now I will be living in yet another part of the country (either Tucson, Buffalo, or Bloomington, Indiana). It's exciting and stressful at the same time!

Sushi and I secretly follow each other.


I really loved Ohio State, but I went out and visited Arizona State and just knew I had to bounce. I came back and went out one weekend on campus and it was nasty out...like 34 degrees, freezing rain and wet... I knew I'd be much happier in nice weather.

I was spoiled from there on. A couple years after college I was off to South Beach for 4 years. If it wasn't for a great career opprotunity, I'd still be in nice weather. Now, I'm in Boston... it's o.k. I'm plotting my move to LA or back to Miami within the next couple years.

But, every summertime visit to Dublin, I feel like "I can live here"...but then from Oct-Apr I remember why not. My brother and I are the only ones in the family to have been born in Ohio. All of our family is in either New York, Florida or Boston. So I have no deep family roots there. Only my Mom still lives in the house I grew up in. She'll eventually move. I felt when I make big money some day, I'll buy something in Columbus as an investment. But, I'll never live there again. It doesn't make sense for me.