Perhaps the one things that I've heard more than "stupid Colts lost to the Patroits again" in my time in Indiana has been an overwhelming desire to leave the Hoosier state for greener pastures on the other side.
The sentiment, while understandable and common, is also incredibly foolish. There are people (a good number of them) who feel that all of their problems with boredom and stupidity will suddenly vanish when they cross the state boundary. But, as someone who has been to several other states, I can tell you that the rest of the union contains almost the same ratio of idiots as Indiana.
And idiots in other states can't tell you everything you wanted to know about basketball.
There is a feeling that, if there is an excitement center of the United States, it is in the location furthest from Indiana. If I am correct in my reading of a map, that would place the excitement center of the United States of America in Barrow Point, Alaska, which, as we all know, is famous for it's bitchin' New Year's Eve parties, and is a popular vacation spot among Coast Guard members and whale hunters.
In reality, Indiana has more moderately-sized cities than metropolises, which means that there is not a plethora of entertainment centers that can advertise. This means that you may have to (GASP!) look for places for entertainment, rather than have it plop in your lap.
And, from my experience, the places that are hidden and hard to find are much better than the places that anyone can find.
Of course, there are also people who are frustrated with the conservative nature of Indiana, as Indiana is a perennial red state. This is, of course, extremely constraining on those who are creative in nature.
This goes against the base nature of creativity, however. If you are not constrained in your writing, either by the people around you or by yourself, than you will not be pressured to make changes, and the point of creativity, at least productive creativity, is lost. So is the nobility of creativity.
Put simply, the less conducive atmosphere for creativity, the more creative the author is forced to become.
Finally, and most commonly, there are people who tie all their problems to the state of Indiana. That, Indiana, in it's base, is somehow responsible for all that is wrong in the life of it's citizens.
There is a theory among Hoosiers and transports that leaving the boundaries of the state will immediately improve the quality of their life. This, sadly, is untrue as well.
The fact of the matter is the reason people become frustrated is not environment, it is the base situation. While someone would think that location and situation are linked, they are not inherently connected. If you are poor in Indiana, you will be poorer outside of it (Indiana's cost of living is very low).
If there is something constraining you in Indiana, you will more than likely keep the constraint beyond the state.
If Indiana doesn't have job opportunities for you, then the states that will won't pay well, as they will have high demand and low supply.
The key is not to change location, but learn how to manipulate your situation in your favor.
This is much harder, however, than going to Ohio.
Write to Will at wjohargan@bsu.edu
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