I contemplated writing this under a pseudonym because I am going to start off with a confession: Before about two weeks ago, I had no idea who Josh Allen was. When I admitted this in the middle of the Lexington Co-op, I was met with horrified gasps and glares from strangers, and frantic shushing from my friends.

Obviously, I don’t need to tell you, that Buffalo is plastered with Bills memorabilia. Mixed between Trump signs and Harris endorsements stand “I heart Bills” signs (with a Buffalo in place of a heart, which I have to say reads as “I Buffalo Bills” instead, but that’s not the point), ten-foot-tall skeletons wearing Bills merchandise, and, of course, life-sized Josh Allen cutouts in the grocery store entrance.

On election day, I accompanied my boyfriend – a New York native – to the polls. As people were leaving, I heard multiple sighs followed by “anyways, go Bills” which were responded to with choruses of “Yup. Go Bills.”

I’m from Wisconsin, where the only thing we universally agree on is that cheese is a mandatory food at every meal, yet what type you prefer causes an uproar. Wisconsin, as a swing state, is polarizing in a way that I never truly realized before coming to New York.

Before I arrived here, I was worried about fitting in. Growing up in a small Wisconsin city, diversity wasn’t something I was used to. Basically everyone in my hometown was white or Hmong – an Asian race hailing from Laos – so it’s not exactly considered overly diverse. The largest culture shock I experienced from moving is that people simply don’t really notice what you are, but rather focus on who you are. I love Wisconsin, but I can’t lie when I say that this is a welcome change.

At Buffalo State University alone, the opportunities offered vastly outweigh my significantly larger school back in Wisconsin. Here, I had the opportunity to join the school newspaper without needing to prove my worth. This gives me the ability to put my writing out into the world, as well as hone my editing skills in a way that works for my future career prospects.

Of course, there are things about New York that absolutely suck. Did you know that you don’t need to pay for air in your car tires in Wisconsin? Air is free, the fact that New Yorkers are just cool with paying for it is mind-boggling to me. Beyond that, the license plate of my car was stolen. Which, while funny, is beyond annoying. And don’t even get me started about the absurdly inflated price of literally everything. Also, what’s up with so many apartment buildings having coin laundry? Don’t say it’s included if it’s not! But maybe I’m the crazy one.

People here are also somehow the rudest and nicest people I have ever met. Maybe it’s the Midwest stereotype that we’re all overly friendly, but it’s hard getting used to going grocery shopping and seeing that everyone looks like they want to shrivel up and die in the middle of Wegmans, but not before taking out everyone in the immediate vicinity first. On the other hand, the friends I have made in the past three months here have been kinder and more accepting than most of the people I interacted with back at my home university.

I suppose it’s all a give and take. Sure, politics are polarizing, but Buffalonian’s support for the Bills is unrivaled (find you a man who supports you like Buffalonians support the Bills, am I right ladies?). No one is going to even glance your way when you say “excuse me” at the grocery store, but if you’re lost – even with GPS, because, yes, some of us still don’t understand technology -, just about anyone you ask will point you in the right direction.

Also, I have to say, this idea that we should “keep Buffalo a secret” like I see so many signs preach is crazy. Come on people. You have a population of roughly 274,000, Buffalo has never been a secret. And why should it be? Why not share the greatness? And as for me, as an exchange student from a small town of 70,000, I’m grateful it’s not. I miss my home, but Buffalo is a nice substitute for now.