A:
Dear Pearly.,
I think that K&G's on to something when she points out that most BYU students aren't from Utah (and of those that are, most aren't from Provo).
I think the whine-age comes down to a few factors:
1. Climate and environment.
Utah is a desert. It also gets pretty warm in the summer and pretty cold in the winter. Thus, non-Utahns complain about the lack of greenery, the cold winters, and the hot summers. (And then Minnesotans laugh at the second group and Arizonans laugh at the last group.)
2. Population density.
Utah is fairly sparsely populated compared to, say, southern California and Provo has much fewer residents than, say Washington, D.C. This means that the variety of things to do is limited by what the population can support.
3. Culture.
Oddly, this cuts in a couple of directions, with people complaining about how uptight and judgmental and horrible Utah Mormons are compared with all other Mormons, and at the same time saying that Utah Mormons have life so much easier than Mormons who life elsewhere. Like I said in
Board Question #6961, there are more judgmental Mormons in Utah than elsewhere, but that's just because there are more Mormons, period, than anywhere else. (By that same token, there are also more cool Mormons in Utah than anywhere else, including enough cool Mormons to keep the Board running.) I also don't doubt that being the only Mormon in your high school carried with it difficulties that won't be experienced by Mormons who grow up in Utah, but growing up in Utah carries with it its own set of difficulties.
In general, I have very little patience with people who come to BYU and complain about Provo and Utah. For one thing, it's incredibly rude, and not at all becoming in a guest. For another thing, there must be significant advantages to being here, or you wouldn't be here at all. If you hate it that much, leave behind your 70% subsidized education and huge Mormon dating pool and go somewhere else. If the advantages of staying here outweigh the disadvantages, then shut up, be grateful, and quit whining about my state already.
- Katya
P.S. See also
Board Question #2243