Am I weird...

[Mosinguy]

...for not really wanting to visit places outside of Indiana? Everything I need is right here. Now, I'm sixteen and all my peers talk about moving to *fill in the blank* because Indiana is so boring. My family thinks I'm weird for not wanting to move away from Indiana. Is Indiana really all that bad?

We've got a wide variety of natural surroundings (hills and caves down south, dunes and a great lake up north), for the most part some of the least restrictive laws in the country (especially with guns), lots of great people, relatively low crime, we've got just about everything you need, a largish city if you like the city, and plenty of open land if you don't want to be in the city (me).

I don't know but I sure think Indiana is a great place. Don't really want to visit out of state, definitely don't want to move out of state. I could care less about fads. I don't care about stylish stuff. I enjoy my guns with wood and steel. Electronics are annoying. I don't watch TV. I actually love working unlike most kids my age. I actually care about politics (fun fact, my useless younger brother said if he was old enough in the last election, he would've voted for Barack. I asked why because I was curious why he would, and he responded: "Because he was our first black president". ). I'm old fashioned I guess.

Maybe I am just a weirdo.

 

[Tydeeh22]

sounds like you have some good values in what really matters in life. glad to hear you're ok with Indiana. remember, "there's more than corn in Indiana."

 

[ctbreitwieser]

Good on you man. Ive been away from Indiana for 5 years now, and I miss it more than anything. I hate when I get a chance to go home and all my friends talk about how much they hate it. I got into them one night about it and explained how much it really means to me, and it changed their minds completely.

Good Luck with your future decisions, and I hope your friends choose not to leave you alone in such a great place.

 

[kjf40]

Well your only 16, that may be your views now but when you get older it could change.

I have no desire to move from indiana, though my wife hates the winters.

If you like it that much then what does it matter what everyone else thinks right.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Contentment comes from within regardless of geographic location. Most people who cannot be content where they are and go on the traveling road show looking for happiness eventually learn the hard way that no matter how far you go, you can't get away from yourself, bringing us right back around to the fact that you either are capable of being content or you are not. Fortunately, you have learned how to be content at a young age.

 

[sepe]

Yes you are really weird. I don't know if I'd move from Indiana, if I did it would be to a less populated state. There is nothing wrong at all with leaving for awhile. You never know how much you appreciate peace and quiet that is easily found in Indiana after you spend some time in densely populated places or places with very little outdoor space that is usable. You also can't beat learning about different cultures by spending time with them in their natural environments...then come back home and realize that you even appreciate the redneck whiskey tangos because they're not like those weirdos overseas.

 

[Hookeye]

I'd at least visit other places, even if you want to call Indiana home.

Lots of art, music, culture, cool people and amazing food out there.

The food......maybe not important now, but get back to us when you're 40

 

[Mr.JAG]

I've grown fond of living in Indiana - but that wasn't exactly the feeling when I was your age.

Ask yourself the same question in 10-20 years. I'm willing to bet a lot of your peers will have joined you in your feelings, and you won't feel so out of place.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Nothing wrong with being happy where you are in life. I do recommend you travel though, and do it before you have a wife and kids if those are in your future. I spent a summer in Germany before my senior year in HS and it totally changed who I was (for the better). I was MUCH more outgoing and more of a people person than I had been.

Your friends wanting to move away are clearly missing something in their lives and want to find it. If you're not having those feelings, then travel for the education and cultural experience of it. Go on a mission trip to Haiti as an example.

 

[handgun]

Indiana is nice and all, dont get me wrong.. you should travel...

Other states have exactly what you discribed indiana as. Infact so do other countries.

Nothing is wrong with you. But, you might be surprised. As far as being boring.. indiana actually has alot of stuff to do.. some places have more.. some less.

 

[KoopaKGB]

Traveling is good for the soul, you should at some point get out and live someplace else for a while, doesn't matter where so much, just far away, maybe on a coastline or just some place different. Just to experience life in say California, or Seattle, or northern Michigan, North Carolina, any place really. Expand your horizions as they say. New experiences, possibly new opportunities, be them good or bad. I can only speak from my own experiences. I once had no desire to leave Indiana, like you I thought "this place isn't so bad, I'm happy here" and I was. I had no real desire to travel to California. Then things changed when I joined the Marine Corps my junior year of high school and upon graduation flew out to San Diego, and after boot camp went to the school of infantry and had just a little bit of weekend time to roam California. And man it was a blast. I had no idea.
Before this if somebody had told me "hey go out west because it's totally worth it and yadda yadda" I would have thought "no that person doesn't know ME. Only I know me." And I woulda shrugged off his advice. But I can't stress it enough, a little bit of travel is a good thing. Or just a bit of a change up, was living elsewhere a bad change up sometimes? Sure, my love for guns is good enough example. I love firearms, California hates firearms, so I'd never want to really "settle down" there. However will I just write off the whole west coast then? No. Its still worth a visit, even if it is a liberal, hippie, state full of ****(take your pick). Of course I understand you'll still think, "nah this guy is full of bs, he doesn't know me or how I really feel, my love for Indiana precludes any desire I have to experience new places" Which that might be true to some extent. I'm just trying to emphasize that despite your strong passion for the state of Indiana and all of the things it has, shouldn't keep you chained down here. For 5-1/2 years I lived wherever the government ordered me to. Did I get to pick? No. Did I complain and moan and be upset with some of the places where I got sent. Yes. But would I trade it all to have stayed in Indiana the whole time, not at all. In fact after my half a decade travels I even decided to return "home" to Indiana.

To answer your question NO you are not weird for not really wanting to visit other places. In your question you had a statement by saying "not really" wanting to visit other places. Deep down you know there are some places you'd like to see, feel, or otherwise experience.

ctbreitwieser maybe had different experienes being away for a similar amount of time I was, maybe he would trade whatever he did for an extra 5 more years at "home"

I'm just saying keep an open mind, if you do ever get the chance to travel somewhere maybe a bit more exotic, take it. Learn from it, even if its maybe not a 100% great experience. I'm not telling you to go on a vacation. In fact I dont think I've ever heard of somebody going on a vacation and having a 100% positive experience. Usually they talk of how crappy their time was. Theres always problems, flat tires, illness/injuries, lost luggage, cancelled/delayed flights, cruise boat/car/train/hotel breaking down, etc etc. just saying if you get a chance to go someplace far away totally unlike Indiana, try it out. If nothing else you'll come back and enjoy Indiana that much more.
I'm ranting about this to you because I used to feel the EXACT same way when I was younger. Life happens, sometimes in Indiana sometimes in someplace else. Dont rule out or write off all the other places in the US/world because Indiana is so darn great.

 

[powerstrokin]

Born and raised in Indiana. Joined the AF to get the hell out and go other places six years ago. All I want now is to go back home and see my family. All the stuff I've done and seen is fine and dandy, but it's all just stuff. My family is more important.

I wouldn't really change what I've done, because it's all been a great experience. I just wanna go home now!

 

[eldirector]

I REALLY enjoy travelling. My wife and I have been all over the US, and I travel some for work. Great to see other places, eat new food, etc....

That said, I can't bring myself to live anywhere else. I've had several job opportunities in other states. After weighing the pros and cons, Indiana is just a darn nice place. Helps that all of my family is here, but lower taxes, lower crime, decent weather, and the fact that it IS boring (meaning nothing all that bad every really happens around here) is hard to beat.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

If you don't ever leave or want to leave...you really have no idea what you're missing.

-J-

 

[LEaSH]

I like Indiana just fine. But if I were 16 I'd want to explore other places, too.

I must visit Alaska someday soon. Traveling there and everything along the way would be great.

 

[88GT]

If you don't ever leave or want to leave...you really have no idea what you're missing.

-J-

You mean he has no first hand knowledge of other places. I disagree with the premise that he's "missing" anything. Rare is the individual who finds happiness in what he has and is content with that. I've just enough experience with outside of Indiana to know that I don't need anymore to make me happy.

 

[Mosinguy]

If you don't ever leave or want to leave...you really have no idea what you're missing.

-J-

I know what I am "missing", but it doesn't seem like I'm actually missing it. Not sure how to explain but the cool stuff experienced in my travels (Texas, Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania, West Virginia) really doesn't make me feel like it was that big of a deal to begin with.

Don't get me wrong I liked going to those places, I'd go again, but given the choice I'd be perfectly happy in Indiana.

 

[Denny347]

I like living in Indiana but I LOVE visiting other places. Going to other countries and States opens your eyes...broadens your mind. I love to travel, I wish I could afford to do it more often. Speaking of which, I'm leaving in the morning for NYC One of my favorite places to go...other than the Caribbean. 16 huh? I cannot even remember my outlook on the world when I was that young, that was 23yrs ago.

 

[88GT]

I like living in Indiana but I LOVE visiting other places. Going to other countries and States opens your eyes...broadens your mind. I love to travel, I wish I could afford to do it more often. Speaking of which, I'm leaving in the morning for NYC One of my favorite places to go...other than the Caribbean. 16 huh? I cannot even remember my outlook on the world when I was that young, that was 23yrs ago.

Yeah, 16 really is just a lump of clay on the potter's wheel. And that's not an insult.

 

[JetGirl]

I was born in Indiana, but before I started school my folks moved us to Florida.
We moved back and forth a couple times in that first year and a half, but Florida is where they chose to stay put.
Every year, we'd come back for a couple weeks to visit family (as ALL of them are up here).
By the third grade, I started telling everybody as soon as I left home I'd be heading to Indiana forever.
Lots of people said, "shurrrrre"... You know how it goes.
I left home at 17 and came back on my own. Been here ever since...and not planning on living anywhere else.
I've visited other places, but like the OP...I knew what I wanted.
There's nothing wrong with making up your mind about something as a kid and sticking with it.
It'd take a whole lot of C4 to get my butt out of Indiana...and that's not just because I have a big butt!