My freshman year at Grand Valley State University, I chose to go in blind for a roommate match in the dorms. I was lucky enough to get matched up with someone that I now call my best friend. We came from different cultures, had different interests, and grew up in completely different types of towns. I am from a small rural town in southwest Michigan, and she was from Chicago. Our differences were clear very early on, but for whatever reason it just “worked.” Our differences brought us closer in many ways, and it was always interesting to hear a different perspective on life.  

One of the starkest differences we experienced were our reactions to downtown Grand Rapids. While I was amazed by coming to “the big city”, Loren was admittedly underwhelmed the first time we explored downtown GR. She thought GR was small beans compared to Chicago.  

That was until she walked into the shops and saw she could afford the items on the shelves.  

Even better, when we stopped to eat some lunch at Angel’s Thai Café, Loren could enjoy her meal instead of worrying about the bill. “Grand Rapids has all the options, and they come without the crazy prices Chicago has,” said Loren.  

As she got to know the area a little more, she was happily surprised that West Michigan offers a lot. Particularly Grand Rapids, which has the city vibe she misses from home without all of “the craziness” of a giant city.

When chatting about the biggest differences between Chicago and Grand Rapids, Loren described how funny it is to hear people talk about being stuck in traffic here. “A 20 minute slowdown brings agitation, but in Chicago anything under an hour is an extremely good day.” Another huge difference Loren noticed is general friendliness. “People here are so nice and take the time to smile and say hello, while at home it seems everyone is too busy for you and they tend to stick to themselves.” Part of the reason she chose to attend Grand Valley was because of the people, and the “peaceful” quality of the area versus the constant commotion she grew up with.                

Last year, when Loren and I talked about post-graduation plans, she wasn’t considering Grand Rapids. However, when we revisited the topic this year, she had warmed up to the idea quite a bit. She said she realized that just because it isn’t Chicago doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty of its own unique offerings and options.  

“I’ve seen the job opportunity here and begun to make my own connections that make it easier to want to stay in this new area,” said Loren. Â