Excuse the parking lot and dreary weather |
As I neared my self-inflicted decision deadline, my mother reminded me of something I said a few years ago on a drive home together. She recalled me peering across the flat terrain of central Indiana at the clouds. It was dusk, and I was pretending the contrast the clouds created with the sky were, instead, mountains. (Sometimes I wonder where my imagination has gone; I used to do this on my frequent drives from Muncie to Elkhart) I took this recollection as a sign. A foreshadow in the plot of my life. I'm thrilled to say, in August, I will be calling Salt Lake City my home!
I'm excited to be living in a large city, as I've always enjoyed being in New York City and Chicago. The true beauty of Salt Lake City, to me at least, is that there are endless possibilities for recreational activities surrounding the city. Any day I choose, I can go hiking in the mountains or kayaking on the Great Salt Lake. The amount of national parks and vast scenery within 4 hours of SLC is incredible. Seriously, take a look at a map. I will no doubt be investing in a mountain bike and a set of skis. Hell, I dare to say I may even look forward to winter for the first time in my life.
My next step is, of course, looking for housing. I know I've been spoiled with my massive apartment here in Muncie for the last year, but I'm going into this search fully willing to sacrifice square footage for location. The most important criteria in my housing search is walkability. I want to be able to easily walk to a grocery store and a form of public transportation that will take me to campus. Ultimately, I would like to live somewhere near Trolley Square, which has a Whole Foods and is very close to the trolley that runs straight to campus.
Thankfully, I've still got a few months to decide. I'll keep you posted.