Born country

I‘ve lived in or near two Indiana cities in my life: Lafayette and Bloomington. Both cities provide an aspect of our home state that isn’t necessarily representative. Hubs of academia in a state that struggles with education, IU and Purdue University draw city-dwellers from across the nation who hope to receive top-rate educations from the Hoosier state (not the Boilermaker state, I would like to point out). But I for one am proud to say that I, like many of my peers, was born country. My high school nights were spent listening to Alan Jackson, cleaning out pigpens and trying in which corn field to get drunk. \nSo as the Monroe County Fair (and the Tippecanoe County Fair in Lafayette) took place last week, I was reminded of home so strongly that I couldn’t wait to share some of the most glorious experiences I’ve had around county fairs. With any luck, as I remember the things that stir the memories of my roots, you will remember your own.\n1. Manure – That’s right. A big steaming pile of cow dung. From the time I was able to walk, I remember my uncle’s farm and the wonderful smells that came with it. While other kids would gag at the slightest change in odor, the country folk embraced the smell of pig farms. Combining all of our swine smells into one large show hall was for us like being in hog heaven.\n2. Elephant Ears – Of all the things I have consumed in my life that are so bad for my health they might cause me to miss my 35th birthday, none is so delectable as the county fair’s elephant ear. The lightly fried piece of dough doused in sugar is like sweet, sweet milk from a mother’s breast. And while I wanted to throw up from the nausea 15 minutes after eating one of these once-a-year treats, I knew while eating it that while you can take the boy out of the country, you can’t take the country out of the boy.\n3. Infidelity – While I know that many people have stories of where their high school backstabbing happened (remember the woods out back?) I can assure you that no place on earth breeds cheating like a county fair. Defining summer love: Unregulated hook-ups that paid little attention to whether or not one had a significant other. If you wanted some action, winning first place for the quality of your steer was better than winning the Super Bowl.\nKnowing my childhood experiences might give you some insight into why I love being a Hoosier. But while I like to refer to everyone who attends IU as a Hoosier, I also know that there are many students who still call their own states “home.” While you’re all Hoosiers in my book, I wouldn’t want to be anything but country. I’m sure many of you feel the same, whether you’re from the East Coast, West Coast or Deep South. Don’t forget your roots.