The Place I Call Home

It being summer and me not having anything better to do, I've been making mental comparisons between Provo (where I go to school) and Chadron (where I grew up) every time I do anything. Now I'm going to blog about it (yaaaaaay, blogging!).  I'll make it pretty simple: if a comparison is written in blue it means Provo wins.  If its red, Chadron is the winner! White will signify a tie.

I realize this list is really long with some windy explanations, so if you just scroll through and look at the headlines, I understand. Also, I used the CHS Cardinal instead of the CSC Eagle because I like it more and its more of  personal symbol of my home town more; and I used an old BYU logo because its my favorite one :) now let the battle begin:

Provo vs. Chadron (name comparison)

It turns out that both towns just happen to be named after french fur traders [which is super cool]! Provo is named after Etienne Provost, a well-known mountain man that established a trading post on Utah Lake. Chadron is named after Louis Chartran, a French-Indian fur trader that set up a trading post on Bordeaux Creek. (isn't it ironic that the desert state of Utah gets a lake, and the not desert state of Nebraska only gets a creek? yes, yes it is.) The name origins are very similar so I'm just going to go off of which one sounds coolest.  Provo makes me think of something govermenty and official, while Chadron kind of sounds like the name of a Pokemon.Obviously Pokemon are cooler than governments.

another interesting fact I discovered: There is a Provo Township in the South Dakota county that border the county I live in (in Nebraska).  All this time I've been living by a Provo!

And I'm now wondering if it was a bad idea to start the comparison with a history lesson..... I promise the other ones won't be so long!! ....well, kinda promise...

BYU vs. CSC

there is not even an argument here. BYU beats CSC in every way. Mormon/not Mormon, big/small, fancy/not fancy, tree zoo/one Ginko Biloba (ok, this last one is a pretty close call, that ginko biloba is a pretty important little tree), and they both cost the same.

Happy Valley vs Chadrock

Chadron has a much better nickname

30,000 college students vs 5,000 people total

People: I love them and I hate them (but I love them more).  There are more people that are my exact age in Provo during the school year than there are total people in all of Chadron, and I like the opportunities and options that come with the bigger population.  Its cooling knowing somebody because you want to know them, not because you have gone to the same school for years and years and see them everywhere you go (And all of the people I know at BYU are really really really really cool! I can't believe that I know so many amazing people [not that I don't know some really amazing people in Chadron too]).

Dozens of wonderful friends who live right next to me vs. family and long time friends

Seriously, I LOVED all of the wonderful Wyview people and LOVED that their apartment doors were only 60 seconds away.  I miss having so many friends so close. BUT family is family, and its so nice being able to mention something that happened 8 years ago and have someone actually remember it.

No Becky vs. Becky

Its nice having a best friend again: doing everything together, making plans, and talking about EVERYTHING.  I didn't have anybody to talk to in Provo (and that seriously sucked).

Food:

Chadron really falters compared to Provo.  I mean I have to give props to the Bean Broker, Angela's, Taco Johns (yep, I am including TJs!) and the China House (best egg drop soup you can find in a Chinese restaurant!), and admittedly CSC has some darn good crack potatoes... but we just can't compare to the wonderland of food that is Utah! In-N-Out, Cafe Rio, Tucanos, fry sauce, the BYU Creamery, and frozen yogurt everywhere!

Y Mountain vs. C-Hill

Surprised they tied? Well, you get what you give with both of them.  Y Mountain is grand and you can see all of Provo and Orem and Utah Lake and you feel REALLY accomplished when you make it to the top, but that hike is long and exhausting.  The humble C-Hill can be climbed on a whim and in just a few minutes.  Its a much better place to think and you can still see all of Chadron and the surrounding area from the top. I'm not going to hike a couple miles up steep slopes to look at the bustling city if I'm looking for some peace and perspective.  No, sir! I'm gonna walk up C-Hill, sit in the grass, and look out over my lazy hometown.

Crazy Dating Scene vs Wonderful Boyfriend

those rumors about how focused BYU is on dating and marriage? they are true. VERY true. I don't think you could go a day without someone mentioning or joking about dates, engagements, weddings, ect. When my parents (who are not active Mormons) came out to bring me home from school my dad got super freaked out about all of the engagement jokes and sternly reminded me (multiple times over the next few days) that I am too young to get married (not that I needed reminding!).  I'm much happier with my wonderful relationship with my wonderful boyfriend, Garrett Meisman, right here in Nebraska (far far away from the Provo craze).

Exhausty, Dirty, Bad Smell vs. Open Spaces and Fresh Air

When the rain smells like car exhaust, there is something wrong.  And not being able to tell when you leave one town and enter another just isn't my cup of tea.  Its best to have wide open spaces between towns (kind of like "good fences make good neighbors")

Small Breeze vs. Prairie Winds

In Provo, 20 MPH wind is "very windy". In Chadron, 20 MPH wind is normal ("very windy" is approaching hurricane force).  Sure, its kinda cool when the wind knocks over power lines, causing a blackout and getting you out of school a few hours early, but most days the wind and I just don't get alone.

New-ish Apartment vs. Old Trailer

My room in Provo was bigger than my room here at home, and nicer, and cleaner, and if I had a problem I called maintenance and it was magically fixed. If I haven't made this clear yet: Wyview is awesome!

College Expenses vs. Living with my Parents

Rent, food costs, homework, laundromat, phone bill, electricity? OR  Phone bill, no homework, free home cooked meals, free laundry that I don't need to leave my house to do, and no rent. When I live at home, I (almost) don't have to be an adult :) its so much simpler.

BYU Broadcasting vs. Limited Job Opportunities

I'm pretty sure that 90% of the job opportunities available to students in Chadron include working a cash register.... no thank you.  I'll take my desk job at BYU Broadcasting where I work with fancy technology, schedule my own hours, and have to swipe an ID card to gain access to the building.

Singles Ward vs. Chadron Branch

The Chadron Branch is amazing: you know everyone, they work so hard to fill all of the positions that are needed, I think they are all wonderful people, they've known each other for a long time, there are CHILDREN and old people and missionaries, and you go to church in an actual church. However, sometimes I feel awkward because I go to church alone and everyone else is there as a family. AND I have a giant fear of being called to teach a Primary class (and I mean giant).
But my singles ward was cool too: everyone was my age (a blessing and a curse), its nice being able to relate to everyone so well, but its weird that there are no children... The classes were big and friendly and we relied on each other a lot because we didn't have our traditional families. And even though I still ended up going to church alone a lot, there were plenty of others that showed up alone too, and we all just sat with our friends.  (Shout out to Tabby my sacrament and walking buddy and Sharae my best Relief Society friend!)

Entertainment:

Lets see: dollar movies, dances, malls, skating rinks, water park, karaoke, thousands of college students, whatever is happening on campus (there is ALWAYS something), bowling alleys, Nicklecade, planetarium, Divine Comedy.... and many more things I haven't discovered yet in Provo and Orem!  Chadron has: a 3 screen movie theater, Wilson park, a WalMart (yes, this goes under the entertainment section because people go there when they are bored) and a bowling alley with spastic hours. Seriously, young people in Chadron "move" for fun: cruising, long boarding, and waking are all very popular. Do you understand? MOVEMENT counts as ENTERTAINMENT here.

A Few 1st and 2nd Magnitude Stars vs. A Sky that Lights up with Sparkling Diamonds

In Provo you can see maybe a dozen stars, but in Chadron they fill the sky: you can pick out satellites, most of the constellations, and can just barely see the Milky Way. Drive 10-20 into the country and the sky is completely breathtaking!

And of course, the PRETTY factor:

Chadron has some really quaint old buildings and a few good parks but I love the BYU campus (the buildings, the trees, the flowers, the art, all of it!).


I'm not giving a formal tally because I love both places.  I love being in whichever one I am in, but at the same time long to be back at the other. Provo and Chadron are both home to me.