How Delaware Has Changed MY Mind!
Zach Younkin
Zach Younkin
Living here in Delaware as a college student, I have really begun to see Delaware in a new light.
My thoughts on Delaware have changed dramatically in my time in college. Let me explain…
Before College (a.k.a. – The High School years)
As a student at Rutherford B. Hayes High school, I was able to see many different things. Everything from kids showing TOO much PDA in the halls, to students getting caught in the bathroom smoking. As I looked around me, I couldn’t help but count down the number of days until I could leave for something bigger and better. I didn’t see anything in Delaware that I felt that I could possibly stay around for (except mom and dad, of course). I didn’t see any jobs that I would like. I didn’t see anything.
Some things changed that…
I was lucky enough to take A.P. Lang at Hayes (which I recommend to all students) and during the course of the class, we had to read through Main Street
In the story, Carol Kennicott believes that in leaving her town of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota, she will leave all of the problems. She will find a town where other people will not know the business of other people; where other people are more intelligent and where others are more interesting.
Once I got into college, I began to see that people from all walks of life were suffering from the same issues that I was.
My reasons for leaving Delaware matched the beforehand mentioned reasons. I wanted to go where others would not know my business. I wanted to get out of Delaware to a town where people where smarter (no offense to anyone who lives in Delaware), and I wanted to go where people are more interesting.
Carol discovers that no matter of where she goes, those problems still exist. Carol travels to the “Big City” and finds that people still know about her business. She finds that people are still not the most intelligent. She finds that people still aren’t that interesting.
I read this and realized that by leaving Delaware, I would not be leaving the town for better.
Regardless of if I went to New York, to Chicago, to Indianapolis, or even just down the road to Columbus, people would still know my business, would still find people that aren’t that intelligent and still find boring people.
Once I got into college, I began to see that people from all walks of life were suffering from the same issues that I was. People knew way too much about them. They wanted to be surrounded by more intelligent people (hence, why they are in college). They wanted to find people that are interesting (why college parties happen…). It didn’t matter if you were from Columbus, Westerville, Dublin, Powell, Lewis Center, Marengo or Marion, these things still rang true.
As I took this refreshed look at Delaware, I began to see a few more good things about Delaware.
- Delaware has great employment opportunities. With the industrial park on the South Part of town, there are many opportunities for career opportunities, especially for an accounting/finance student like myself.
- Even if I don’t work in Delaware, it is in a great location. Westerville and Dublin are only 35 minutes away. Powell is 20 minutes away. Downtown is only 45 minutes away (assuming the traffic is going smoothly)
- Delaware is a great location to raise a family. According to CityRating.com, Delaware had about 2/5 of the national per capita rate of violent crime and about 4/5 of the national property crime. When you look at the fact that you are less likely than to be assaulted or have your car stolen from you, it makes you feel safe to raise a family here. Also, even with all the heat that schools in Delaware receive, Delaware City Schools provides a great education for its students. I would not have gone to any other school in the Delaware area. I was challenged by students who dressed differently than I was; by students who were only there because they had to be; who just wanted to get out of there so they could start working full time. Nowhere else could I get that!
So now, it leaves me with my current situation. I’m about two and a half years away from graduation. Which means I’m two and a half years away from starting my own, personal adventure here in Delaware. My goal is to live in here in Delaware for the reasons I mentioned above.
Delaware is my future home. Will you help to keep it the way it is?
I enjoyed your blog posting! We are new to the city of Delaware but had lived in Delaware county for 5 years but in the city of Westerville.
Living in Delaware is different than just living in Delaware county because you feel like an actual part of the town that has so much rich history. Once you belong to the city you start wanting to know more about the history and the people. There really is a lot to do and this summer we’ll be out and doing some of them! Maybe we’ll see you out and about!
Zach – That’s a great point! I came from a small-town in eastern Knox County we had something like 40 in my graduating class. I remember my freshman year of college talking to another kid and saying I came from a small school, he replied “me too.” Turns out he was from the fourth-largest district in the state.
It is all about your point-of-view. No matter where you are, there is a “bigger, better, more wonderful” place on the map that people strive to become. The key is to be happy where you are and to build community where you are!
MrsBigE – I hope to see you out and about this summer. I plan on attending many of the events here in Delaware and do hope to run into you as well!
Toby – I completely agree. So much of it is about point-of-view. Once I got on the outside of Hayes, I realized just how much Delaware has to offer me. Thanks for the encouragement