Medford and the Culture of Escape
A permanent feature of small town America seems to be that people always want to leave it. I’ve seen this happen in Medford, Oregon for years. As a senior in high school here, all anyone talked about was getting out of Medford. The places they would go, the things they would do – all of which were impossibly big for the confines of a city that must have felt to them like a giant gated community. It’s true that Medford isn’t a large city, and sometimes it does feel like you can’t turn a corner without running into someone you know.
And while it is of course a wonderful and encouraged idea to travel and experience the world, that doesn’t have to be borne of an intense desire to leave behind the familiar. I myself succumbed to the mad rush to leave Medford; after high school I told my parents I just “needed something new” for my college experience. And my fours years of university life in Southern California were excellent, I am forever grateful for the education I received and the friends that I made, but I am also grateful that it gave me a sense of perspective. As people we can only make the best of where we are. We can fight to change our circumstances, and surely I’m no advocate for anyone remaining in a place they can no longer tolerate. We should do all we can to succeed and get ourselves into the place we need to be. But it’s true that distance makes the heart grow fonder, for people and for cities. As a town Medford might not be big and booming, but it is beautiful and interesting in its own ways.
Maybe it’s just a feature of my optimistic personality that I can find something to like about any place I find myself. Since moving back to Medford after college, I’ve noticed more about the opportunities it offers and the beauty it holds. I’ve looked out my window at dusk to see the mountains lining the valley covered by the most beautiful clouds as the sun sets. I’ve taken evening bike rides with my sister through our neighborhood and weaved across streets with gorgeous houses and pristine lawns. When all my friends were in town for the holidays we discovered trivia nights at a local bar, and had many nights of laughter as we played and lost horribly, trying out appetizers and sipping local drinks. Truly, everyone will have their own opinion of Medford. All I can encourage is an end to the culture of escapism, and an embrace of the small and wonderful opportunities that Medford, and Southern Oregon at large, has to offer.
-Mary Strother
RepMeddy Ambassador
Biola Class of 2015
South Medford Class of 2011