I don’t think it was wanderlust, as much as 18-year-old-rebellious-Bird syndrome, when I made the decision to go out of state for college. I grew up in Dallas about a mile from the Southern Methodist University (SMU) campus. I’d ridden my bike and rollerbladed there for many years growing up, and my mom is an active alum.
I wanted to get out of Dallas. And apparently out of Texas, too. For the record, my birth name is Dorothy. And guess where I decided to go to college?
Time brought me back to Texas.
San Marcos, Austin, Dallas, Austin, Dallas, (NYC), Belize, and back to Dallas.
I was reading an email my dad sent me with “interesting facts” and came across this:
Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace.
And I’m currently part of that half. Billy and I rode our bikes on Sunday, and decided to cruise through the beautiful SMU campus.
The Boulevard where they hold big parties before football games.
The Meadows Museum.
And can’t forget the stadium.
Some other facts you probably didn’t learn in college:
The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $ 16,400
The average # of people airborne over the U.S. in any given hour: 61,000
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987, 654,321
Q. What is the only food that doesn’t spoil? A. Honey
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts… So in old England, when
customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them, “Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down.” It’s where we get the phrase ‘mind your P’s & Q’s.’
Did you go outside of your home state for college?
Do you live within 50 miles of your birthplace?
~Bird
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow that campus is pretty! My friend went there for a few years and I always wondered what it looked like!
I stayed in-state (Virginia Tech, go Hokies!) for college but it was 6 hours away from home, way on the western side of the state. For grad school I went all the way to Miami! I loved both experiences.
I’m also in the 50% that lives close to home. I actually live AT home. I’m a boomerang child!
what a gorgeous campus! a perfect spot for a bike ride.
yes – i stayed in my hometown and went to the university of waterloo. and i live in waterloo, now! i was born in kitchener which adjoins waterloo so it’s probably only about 6-7 miles from where i grew up to where i live now!
i love random facts – didn’t know the origin of “mind your p’s and q’s” – thanks!
Cool I didn’t know you went to KU! And didn’t know your real name is Dorothy. A lot of our friends went to Kansas. I went to UT. I have lived in Dallas, Austin, Dallas, Houston. I do not live 50 miles from my home, but my husband does.
Glad honey doesn’t spoil since I just got a local honey that I ADORE!
What a neat factoid, as is the others here. And yep, I live within 50 miles of my birthplace too!
One of my best friends goes to U Kansas! She is in a sorority there and seems to be enjoying her time quite a bit.
The dog statistic depresses me…. Its been a year and I bet I have spent between 1-2 thousand on Nina. I love her but JESUS CHRISTO!
And as you know, I did go out of state for college and that is where I am now – Cali!
I have always thought that the SMU campus is beautiful, but not nearly as beautiful as the TCU campus
Go Frogs!
Anyway, I can’t wait to tell Cody that you went to KU. Dorry, he is the most diehard KU basketball fan I know and he didn’t even go there! You do NOT want to be around him during March Madness, that’s for sure. Both his parents and much of his family actually went to KU though so that’s where the connection comes from. Rock Chalk
I went wayyy outta state for college – I’m from Missouri and attended school in Maine, and although I’d never been to New England prior to applying, I loved it!
Now I’m in New York, but am about to become one of those 50% when I move back to my beloved hometown this fall.
Good to know that honey doesn’t spoil – oh wait, I could go through a gallon of it in a week, so I’d never have the chance to find out anyway!
i love all your tidbits, hehe. SMU is gorgeous, I have to agree. Its a totally different style of dallas. I have been on a similar journey. Dallas, austin, Hawaii, Austin…..now lets see where we go next!!
What a gorgeous campus. I live just a little over 50 miles from my birthplace. Where I live is also the city I went to college in. Definitely not a pretty campus though.
OOOOH, I don’t think I knew you were a KU Alum!! oh MY. I am a Mizzou fan by way of J and his whole family (dad + uncle played football, coached football, etc) and as you know that is THE rivalry.
learn something new every day…
I do not live near where I was born, but I DID stay in Portland for college (Portland State, another beautiful campus!). I did, however, do the typical college tour, looking at Santa Barbara, Occidental, even Hawaii! I kinda consider myself an Oregonian, and have not strayed far. I love to travel and each time I do? I love Portland even more.
I went to school in my home state (Ohio), but now I live in Texas, so I’m obviously pretty far away. I do miss Ohio though!
I love SMU’s campus! I work at TCU, so I feel bad admitting it, but it’s one of the prettiest I have ever seen.
I love things like this: 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987, 654,321
Thanks for posting that!
I went to college in MN, but I didn’t choose to go to the Minneapolis campus (20 minutes from home), I chose Duluth (2.5 hours from home). I wanted to get away but I wanted to still pay in state tuition! I live within 15-20 miles of my birthplace and so is Jason.
I’m actually surprised that 50% do not live within 50 miles of their birthplace — I guess more people are more adventurous than I thought!
I ran far far away to school…initially. From Dallas to Maine. Then realized, uh wow, the Northeast is different. So I transferred to a school in Nashville.
I was born in Indiana, but now living in Dallas…so yes, much more than 50 miles away from my birthplace
This is fun! Since leaving my birthplace at age 6mos, I have only been within 50 miles of my birthplace twice – once when my mom and I went back to visit when I was 9 mos. I was born in Tokyo, and when I was 14 we visited Hong Kong and had a layover in Tokyo, but we decided to take the bullet train to Narita instead of tour Tokyo with our 10 hour layover.
My tour began right after high school and continued through college. I grew up in Chicago, and never went back. During the summer before college I hiked British Columbia for a month, then went to college in Santa Barbara for 2 years, then went to West Africa for 6 months, toured Europe for 2 months, went back to college in Minneapolis, lived there for a few years after, and now Dallas. Summer in college were spent in Colorado. Wow… no wonder I’m totally comfortable without the wanderlust for now – just recalling all of that made me tired!
You went to KU (or just for a short amount of time)?? My Dad went to Med School there – he’s a huuuge Jayhawk fan / Doc.
I love that little fake bird.
The dog $ number is a little startling. Definitely something to consider before picking up a pup! Whoa.
Raised in NM and went to college in Pennsylvania. Something of a culture shock, but I loved being on the East Coast, for the most part. Still don’t live anywhere near a 50 mi radius of “home”, and probably never will. Adventurous and seeing these “young years” as a time to explore the options. Plus, there’s nothing around our little town, anyway.
I went out of state for a year (Minnesota), then came back to Texas. I’m taking continuing education courses at SMU now and I love the campus.
I love the SMU campus – so perfectly manicured. It makes me miss my alma mater – UT Austin! I used to study at SMU on the wekeends for the bar.
I don’t live near my birthplace as it is out of the country but I do live near where I grew up – just 20 minutes away!
Ah! My alma mater. I love how Meadows is pretty much the same, except for the removal of the statue out front… though the rest of the campus has undergone a lot of change. So many good years walking to Dallas Hall.
Thanks for posting such great pix of SMU.
What a beautiful campus!!! I didn’t go out of state for school, only about 3 hours away. However, I did move 1300 miles away from my home. I miss them desperately but I wont ever move back!
I went to SMU and now live about 5 minutes away but I haven’t seen the campus in probably 6 months!! It was great to see your pictures, I forgot how beautiful it is
What a fascinating fact!! I actually did go out of state for college… a few states away! Born and raised in OH… went to school in South Carolina. And now i live in Charlotte, NC! And have no plans of going back
I love the South!
I went to college in Florida…then went to Austin, Texas (got there as quick as I could) but now live smack dabbers in the middle of where I was born.
It was way too cold in Texas! <–I know! Weird.
I guess when you are from someplace awesome like TX or FL it just comes with the territory.
Well, I was born in Canada and now live in Hong Kong. I don’t imagine I will ever live within 50 miles of my birthplace. This is a bit sad….
Thanks for the pictures; they show a stunning city; it seems quite happy!