Chloe's Chat: Where should I go next?

By Chloe Gregg
Editor in Chief

Most of my columns lately have been me either reminiscing about the past or looking toward the future, and I am sorry to say that this one will be no exception. However, a big change in my life is soon to come.

As well as graduating, I will be losing a job I have known for almost four years (my longest ever), finding a brand new job, and moving to a brand new location.

So, yeah, I have a lot of things to think about.

In this column I kind of just want to explore and lay out my thoughts about possible places I could end up and their pros and cons. So sit back and enjoy my ramblings.

As a dental hygienist, I could essentially end up wherever I want (within the U.S., of course). Ultimately, I want to raise children and build a home in Michigan with my family only 30 minutes to a few hours away. But as a young 21 year old, I feel it is my duty to myself to explore what the world has to offer before I settle down.

Not many 21 year olds have a job that can support them and take them anywhere, and I am extremely privileged to be able to have that luxury. So, without further ado, here is my list of places I may or may not choose to live after I graduate.

Hawaii and Alaska

Although these two states are from opposite ends on a spectrum, I lumped them into the same category because they both offer similarly extreme new cultural experiences, while both being thousands of miles away from my home and my family.

In theory, it would be a dream to live in a place like Hawaii. I could wake up with the sun every day and spend my evenings outside instead of in. I could learn about new customs and foods.

However, Hawaii is extremely expensive because of all of the imported goods I would have to buy just to survive. If the dog food I buy in Michigan is $80 per bag, I can’t even fathom what it would cost in Hawaii.

Same thing for Alaska. Some people may fear the cold and darkness there, but I see it as a new adventure and a new experience. A major plus of Alaska is that dental hygienists have an average salary of over $110,000, so even if I were to live there seasonally, it might be worth it.

South U.S.A.

I am not the only one impacted by this decision. My boyfriend, Kobe, would be moving too, and his first request is somewhere in the southern U.S. states.

As a major golfer, he would love to live in a state that does not have a winter. That way he can play all-year round. My only apprehension about this is that southern states tend to lean more conservative, and as a hardcore liberal, I may not feel like I belong.

So, we are still deciding. If you had the option to live wherever you want, where would you choose?