The Michigan Review

An Out-of Stater's Guide to Michigan

by Lee Bockhorn

So, you did it. Was it the fight song, the football helmets, or an obsessive desire to follow in the footsteps of your idols -- James Earl Jones, Madonna, and the Unabomber? Whatever it was, you decided to leave your home state and pay the princely sum of $20,000+ a year to join the "leaders and the best" as an out-of-state student at the University of Michigan. So what is there to know about becoming an authentic "Michigander"?

First, expect to display many puzzled looks on your face, as native Michiganders flash their palms at you while trying to explain where their hometown is -- "I live up near the thumb." Prepare to be perplexed by the new terminology you encounter -- for example, "What kinda pop do you want with that?" (What type of soda/coke do you want?) Or, "That Chem test was a bear." (That Chemistry test was difficult.)

Once you've adjusted to the local lingo, though, Michigan is a nice place to live. Ann Arbor, affectionately known as "A-squared" by the locals, is an intriguing mix of a bustling college town's cosmopolitan atmosphere with a certain endearing midwestern eccentricity. Although Ann Arbor is accurately stereotyped as a haven for well-educated, upper middle class liberal types, it is a fairly diverse place. One can find almost any type of person they might care to meet here, from angst-ridden coffeehouse types to the stuffed-shirt conservative breed (still rare, but increasing every day!). And unlike many college towns where the relationship between city and college is tenuous at best, the U-M and Ann Arbor coexist in relative peace. Since much of what happens here is somehow U-M related, one can say that the U-M is Ann Arbor, and Ann Arbor is the U-M. Having rhapsodized about the town, I must now inform you about the drawback of living in Michigan -- the weather. Simply put, Michigan weather stinks. Perhaps I am prejudiced in this regard, being from California, but since California is annually one of the highest contributors of out-of-state students, I feel obligated to warn you. Don't misunderstand me -- the first snowfall every year thrills me as much as the next guy, but when April arrives and you are still getting ambushed by freak snowstorms, it gets old. But hey, why am I telling you this? If you had chosen your college based on weather alone, you'd be headed off to Florida State right now.

Another challenge of moving to a new state is discovering all the new brands of products that weren't available to you at home. For instance, there is a brand of soft drink (I mean, "pop") here called Vernor's -- a sort of Mountain Dew/Sprite hybrid which I don't particularly care for, but many Michiganders guzzle by the gallon. Another local product you will encounter is Cottage Inn Pizza, which will quickly become your favorite cure for those late night-munchie cravings.

Many out-of-staters are attracted to the U-M by its nationally prominent athletic program, especially the football and men's basketball teams. While nothing tops attending a football game at Michigan Stadium to cheer on the defending national champs, you should know that there are a number of other teams at Michigan which are perennial national title contenders -- including the women's softball, men's and women's swimming, women's gymnastics, and national champion hockey teams. To consider yourself a true Wolverine, you should definitely catch some of these squads in action during your stay at U-M.

No state can please everyone, but after living here for four years I can say that I like Michigan, and my guess is that you probably will too. There's nothing quite like an October football Saturday when you sense the first nip of autumn chill in the air, and see the great splashes of color bursting on the trees; or the thrill of stealing a cafeteria tray to go sledding in the Arb, or battling in the annual South Quad-West Quad snowball fight. Although it might take you a little time to get over the inevitable homesickness and adjust to Michigan, I'll wager that after a few years here you'll realize, as I have, that Michigan is going to be a difficult place to leave.

This article was published in the Summer 1998 edition of The Michigan Review.
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