Ten Reasons I Moved Back to Pittsburgh

1. Because these two (my brother and his fiance) are getting married and I wanted to be there for all of the planning and special moments that lead up to them saying, "I do."

Photo by Jenna Hidinger

2. Cheaper, so much freaking cheaper.  I couldn't survive in New York on my own and I was ready to at least start trying.  Moving to Pittsburgh gave me an option to start paying off some major bills and point myself in the right direction.

3. Everyone is nice.  Even the guy cutting you off on the Boulevard of the Allies waves at you as he does it.  

4. My friends are here.  Maybe they don't all live here anymore, but this is the place we all gather back to for holidays and family gatherings.  It's our meeting ground and it's nice not having to fly/drive hours on end just to see their faces.

5. I needed a chance to catch my breath.  Being surrounded by friends and family has really given me the opportunity to evaluate my life and decide what I want to do with it.  Plus the air really does seem fresher here, so I'm also very literally catching my breath.

6. It's a writer's paradise-in my mind at least.  Willa Cather (ugh, WILLA CATHER) lived and wrote here.  Do I need to mention The Mysteries of Pittsburgh or is that one just obvious on its own?  And I mean seriously, if you didn't read The Perks of Being a Wallflower but happened to catch the movie, then you can at least appreciate that beautiful tunnel scene or the moment when Charlie and Patrick are overlooking the city from Mount Washington.  Of course, let's not forget that Perks basically guides my life.  This is magic, people.

7. Just as important, my mom and dad are here.  While I still don't know what the future holds for me, I knew I wanted to come back and show them how much I appreciated them this time around because they simply deserved to know.

8. I missed Jake, my dog.  Yes, I love Charlie with my whole heart, but Jake captured it first.  I missed having a dog to roughhouse with and go for walks.  So yes, being in the same house as Jake was definitely a motivator.

9. I wanted a chance to meet new people outside of my comfort zone.  Yes, I'm originally from Pittsburgh, but I'd grown so used to Long Islanders that I was ready to shake it up.  No snub there, but I was definitely interested in meeting people who could venture out of their comfort zone every once in a while and teach me something about myself in the process.

10. Pittsburgh is home, whether I want it to be or not.  It's always going to my hometown.