In order to become an astronaut, it's necessary to have a degree in some scientific/engineering discipline AND you must have research/projects to complete during the mission. You could also be one hell of a pilot - among the best our armed forces has to offer.

No astronaut wants to permanently leave the earth (as that entails death).

Ohio State offers some of the best academics in its region of the country, and Ohio University was just ranked the #1 party school in the country. Ohio is also home to some of the best high school and college athletics in the country.

The dichotomy of "Work Hard, Play Hard" is definitely alive and well in many other aspects of Ohio life as well.

BUT by far: The best thing about Ohio is the PEOPLE!

I notice these general trends AROUND the 42 degree latitude line [not considering southern states]:

• Western US: Strangers judge you by what you do (career), and will think less of you if they view themselves to be more important. People seem to care more about themselves than others.

• Eastern US: Strangers don't really give a fuck about you or what you do unless you have a relationship with them already. They will think low of you regardless of many factors; they will avoid interaction if possible. People tend to focus on their success before all else.

• Midwestern US: Strangers are genuinely interested in each other, they will strike up conversations that go beyond socially-awkward small-talk like the weather. People tend to give the benefit-of-the-doubt to strangers. People tend to focus on community values and use happiness (not $) as a measure of success.

Ohio will always seem like a winner to me, I may be slightly biased because I was raised here.

Yet, I have traveled to 23 countries and more than half of the US States so it is reasonable to assume that I may have a broader perspective than the average Redditor.

Sorry that this kind of turned into a rant, but I am an Aeronautical Engineer from Cleveland so this post was like a dagger pushed deep into my heart ; )