Moving to Ohio was definitely unexpected. At first I wasn’t excited about the transition. Sure, I could’ve put my foot down, but when your husband has a job offer fresh out of college and you don’t, it’s obvious what you have to do. So, we moved down to Dayton, Ohio.

I’ve been a Michigander my whole life. I’ve always lived within a few miles of a lake. I’ve always known it to snow in October. Where I’m from, the average temperature in July is 75 degrees. Imagine how I felt, moving in early June on a breeze-less, 87 degree day. I was exhausted, sweaty, and feeling a bit of out of place.

Those feelings were short-lived. Michigan has its upsides, but I have to admit, I’ve been shocked with how much I love my new home in Ohio. Here are a few of the things I’ve been up to since making the move!

• Finding employment: The most obvious one, since this is what brought us here. My husband and I were able to find great jobs to support our habit of eating out rather than grocery shopping.
• Making new friends: I love meeting new people and getting to know them. My husband and I have started to develop new friendships with great people!
• Exploring new surroundings: I’ve already visited Jungle Jim’s, the Oregon District, Dayton Brewing Company, downtown Miamisburg, a couple of dog parks, Cox Arboretum, and the Air Force Museum to name a few (not to mention all the new restaurants we’ve tried out).
• Paying less for car insurance and plate registration: Apparently, Michigan has the most costly car insurance in the US. So the cheaper prices in Dayton are a welcome change.

Needless to say, I’m finding plenty to be happy about in Ohio. I’m particularly interested in how winter will go. My alma mater is Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. The snow fall there last year was 210 inches, so regardless of what Daytonians are saying, I’m sure it will be a mild winter for me.

Moving to a new state can be tough, but I’m learning to appreciate my new way of life and all the opportunities Dayton has in store.