Giddy about Kansas City

When I came to Truman State University as a freshman, I anticipated many of the life-changes I would experience: the washing machines wouldn't do my bidding until I fed them two dollars in quarters, auto-locking doors would leave me stranded in the hallway wearing nothing but my bath towel, and at some point, I would try to grow a beard. These things, of course, were obvious. However, at the time, I did not know I would soon develop the sincere appreciation, not for the town I had come to, Kirksville, but the town that I had come from, Kansas City.

Photo submitted by: Jared Cline

Being originally from the rapidly developing, but still relatively small KC-suburb Liberty, I didn't see too many familiar faces around campus. I strove to meet new friends, but the more people I introduced myself too, the more I began to wonder: is this school exclusively for St. Louis natives? Finally, I met a fellow cow-towner, and we formed a bond through discussing topics like savory Arthur Bryant's barbecue sandwiches served in massive portions, First Fridays art exhibitions complete with fire dancers, and the impeccable flow of KC rapper Tech N9ne.

These conversations helped me realize what a special place I grew up in. Having split my first 18 years of life between living KC and Liberty, I became accustomed to the same sights, sounds, and smells, and it all began to lose meaning. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable then; it's just that now, I can see it for what it really is. I hear all the time how people resent their hometowns, seeing college as a chance to escape the mundane, but getting away has only helped me to truly relish the place where I was raised. I realize now that in some ways, Kansas City helped me form the foundation of my identity.

When my classmates try to tell me about the glories of St. Louis and that giant parabola-shaped thing and how they're from the best city in the state, I naturally start to feel a little spark of rivalry. I've been to St. Louis, and it’s a nice place, but visiting there and talking to people from there has only helped me to put things into perspective. Sometimes I try to set these haters straight (not an easy task at all), but nowadays, I mostly just keep it inside, and think of how lucky I was to be raised in KCMO.