Knowing your surroundings is an important thing when it comes to being able to succeed. Being able to locate resources close to you is a skill one must become familiar with. Living in Athens brings about this concept of Appalacia. Knowing the culture is very important as it allows you to communicate with the people who practice this culture. If you do not know the customs and values held close to the people you live with it is hard to communicate effectively.
I asked my friend Kory what first came to mind when he heard Appalacia and he immediately responded with, “Athens.” I think this is a very common conception for OU students. Not many of the students attending Ohio University have ever been familiar with the Appalacian lifestyle. He considers himself part of the culture as he has progressed with his studies here at Ohio U.
A lot of my friends had similar responses. Although many do not permanently reside in Athens, most consider this lifestyle as part of their own. Although most go away for the summer and for most breaks, Athens is always in the back of an Ohio University student’s mind. No matte how far away you are from the city, people often find themselves wondering how the city is doing. There is no escaping Athens.