Big City Lessons
Ready for some life talk?
I grew up in the lovely town of Appleton, Wisconsin. With a population of 74,000 my experience wasn't quite that of a"small town" but it certainly wasn't big city either. In the fateful year of 2011 young Jenna (aka me) decided to embark on a new adventure. I packed up my things and moved to Milwaukee. Well, 2011 was quite some time ago and I've been kickin' it city style for over half a decade now. That being said, it probably comes as no surprise that I've learned a thing or two over the years.
Something I now can't imagine my life without is the glory of convenience. One major perk of my MKE east side experience is how amazingly walk-able everything is. I live 3 blocks from CVS and a fab grocery store (with a stellar bakery), I'm 5 minutes away from a hoppin' street with nightlife and snazzy food options and just in case I acquire an ailment of any kind I'm steps away from a hospital! Convenience is king and to it I bow down. When I ponder the future it's hard for me to imagine a life where I can't trudge my way through a dastardly snowstorm by foot or sluggishly move my sweaty arse to wherever I need to be. Not to mention I'm pretty much the step-counting Queen with all the physical activity I'm putting in.
Another more important memo that I've learned is to love everyone more. Now, I'm not trying to be a hater on Appleton but pretty much everyone who lives there is white. That's all peachy keen but, it didn't take a rocket scientist to discover my next realization. I discovered that I wasn't exposed to many different types of people and cultures. There is so much going on in the world outside of my little hometown bubble. Sure, I traveled to different places here and there and I even spent a few days in Mexico. But, I never really realized what every day life was like for people outside of my experience of it. Thankfully, MKE has changed that for me. Throughout the wiggly-wobbly waves of time I've spent here I have encountered and befriended so many people who are gloriously different than me. This includes race, sexual orientation and walks of life. These experiences have allowed me to have more empathy for others and has helped me blossom into a better person all around. Long story short everyone has been through some sh** and living side by side helps people understand one another. Diversity is a beautiful thing and I'm glad that I've been able to expand my little bubble of understanding.
It's no secret, crime happens in the city. Shit gets real. The first time I was ever exposed to this semi-firsthand was when a vehicle tried to outrun the cops by the lakefront and 2 people ended up getting shot. My husband and I sort of stumbled across the crime scene while on a walk to the lakefront one night. We heard the sirens but didn't realize what had happened. By the time we got there the scene was fresh. People were visually upset and there were police cars galore. So yes, things happen. At the same time though, it seems that a lot of people think the city is a lot scarier than it really is. I remember when I told people back home that I was moving I received the response of, "oh, but it's so scary down there!", more than once. My take on this is sure, things could become scary. However, I think many of these situations can be avoided as long as you're using common sense. Be aware of your surroundings, pay attention to where you and who's around you. Stay aware of yourself, aka get your nose out of your phone screen and look up! Be attentive and walk with a purpose. Lastly, use your head!
Life is different wherever you may go. Be it a big city or a small town. Luckily, all of these differences are what give us the gift of experience.
Be kind to everyone and keep exploring!
I grew up in the lovely town of Appleton, Wisconsin. With a population of 74,000 my experience wasn't quite that of a"small town" but it certainly wasn't big city either. In the fateful year of 2011 young Jenna (aka me) decided to embark on a new adventure. I packed up my things and moved to Milwaukee. Well, 2011 was quite some time ago and I've been kickin' it city style for over half a decade now. That being said, it probably comes as no surprise that I've learned a thing or two over the years.
Something I now can't imagine my life without is the glory of convenience. One major perk of my MKE east side experience is how amazingly walk-able everything is. I live 3 blocks from CVS and a fab grocery store (with a stellar bakery), I'm 5 minutes away from a hoppin' street with nightlife and snazzy food options and just in case I acquire an ailment of any kind I'm steps away from a hospital! Convenience is king and to it I bow down. When I ponder the future it's hard for me to imagine a life where I can't trudge my way through a dastardly snowstorm by foot or sluggishly move my sweaty arse to wherever I need to be. Not to mention I'm pretty much the step-counting Queen with all the physical activity I'm putting in.
Another more important memo that I've learned is to love everyone more. Now, I'm not trying to be a hater on Appleton but pretty much everyone who lives there is white. That's all peachy keen but, it didn't take a rocket scientist to discover my next realization. I discovered that I wasn't exposed to many different types of people and cultures. There is so much going on in the world outside of my little hometown bubble. Sure, I traveled to different places here and there and I even spent a few days in Mexico. But, I never really realized what every day life was like for people outside of my experience of it. Thankfully, MKE has changed that for me. Throughout the wiggly-wobbly waves of time I've spent here I have encountered and befriended so many people who are gloriously different than me. This includes race, sexual orientation and walks of life. These experiences have allowed me to have more empathy for others and has helped me blossom into a better person all around. Long story short everyone has been through some sh** and living side by side helps people understand one another. Diversity is a beautiful thing and I'm glad that I've been able to expand my little bubble of understanding.
Life is different wherever you may go. Be it a big city or a small town. Luckily, all of these differences are what give us the gift of experience.
Be kind to everyone and keep exploring!
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