So, Where Ya From?

"So, where ya from?" To most, it’s a simple question. An icebreaker. Small talk. To others, it is not so simple of a question. The question is asked at networking events, conferences, first dates, sorority recruitment, and even during the icebreaker games professors play to start a new semester. It is a question with the potential to launch a rudimentary bond between strangers. The question is a starting point.

It’s an easy question to ask but what about the answer? Like I said before, it depends. Some people are born and raised in the same town their entire life, others move to a different city/town in the same state, and others move a bit further away. I personally was born in one city, lived in the suburbs of that city through elementary school, moved out of the state before middle school, and eventually moved to where I live now for grad school. So, when someone asks me “so, where ya from?” I don’t always give the same answer. I don’t overtly lie to them, but I might omit a few stops along the way. Usually, I just say, “I live here now, but I’m from Florida.” I then typically wind up defending the Sunshine State from crazy Florida man headlines, defending Tropicana Field (which is a lovely and constant 72°), and trying to explain why Publix truly is where shopping is a pleasure. I tend to leave out the part where I was born in Maryland and lived there long enough to develop an accent that sometimes prompts a “are you from Philly?” or a “wait, say water again!” Maybe it’s just me, but I think it’s fascinating how one simple question is both so deeply personal and yet so routine.

Everyone has their own experiences, their own interests, and their own thoughts. All of those are shaped by where each individual is from. Sports allegiances, hobbies, accents, vocabulary, pace of life, big city "etiquette", and social "norms" are all influenced by where we come from. I know my life has been extremely influenced by the places I lived growing up and by where I live now. My friends and family live all over and are from all over. My closest friends are from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, Texas, Alaska, California, New Hampshire, Indiana, Illinois, and Virginia. We all have a different perspective on things based on where we are from, and with the exception of my friends from middle and high school, all of the friendships started with "so, where ya from?" or some version of it. 

The point I am trying to make is that the question "so, where ya from" is one that opens the floor to a more natural banter between strangers that can take the trajectory of each conversation to a place as diverse as the people conversing. There is no set theme like asking someone about their favorite food, favorite movie, favorite sports team, and so on. But, all of those topics, and more, have the potential to pop up at some point. 

If you have read this whole thing through trying to figure out what type of content to expect in the future, just know it will be something along the lines of a conversation post that initial "so, where ya from" icebreaker. ✌