Iowa is not perfect. We have a lot of issues ranging from poorly maintained roads to bad weather but we are known for something called “Iowa Nice.”

”Iowa nice” is a theory historically used to explain how the people of Iowa act. It is used to help people understand the normal Iowan attitude. Iowa is known for having relatively kind drivers and never using horns, using mannerisms like, “can I sneak past you here?” and “excuse me” for certain situations, holding the door for others, and things along those lines. The majority of people in Iowa fit into the “Iowa nice” theory but it is important to note not everyone follows the idea.

The term is used a lot on social media when people travel to Iowa and experience “Iowa nice” attuide themselves because apparently holding the door for someone else is not always the norm for other places in the United States.

I have lived in Iowa all my life and have grown up with these mannerisms, however a few months ago my family and I traveled to Washington D.C for vacation and it was a major culture shock. The traffic was horrible, I understand they have a much larger population but there were so many people who switched over four lanes at once without their signal or used their horns. I just was not used to it, and it gave me a lot of anxiety. The people in D.C were pretty tame but I cannot think of anyone who said excuse me they just kinda of   shoved and pushed around me.

The idea of moving out of state genuinely frightens me because people outside of Iowa are just so different than what I am used to. I understand that I have been sheltered and lived in the bubble of Iowa all my life, and I think I need to be exposed to life outside of this state. Adapting to a place without the “Iowa nice” mentality will surely be difficult but I think at some point in my life it has to happen.