All Hail Annapolis

It's in Maryland, not Indiana.

Source: edwardaggie98

Hailing from Annapolis, Maryland is both a blessing and a curse. Before I wax nostalgic about my hometown, though, let me explain that curse bit. Growing up, whenever I met gradeschool-aged kids like myself, I could never quite seem to convince them that Annapolis is, in fact, the capital of the state of Maryland. Everyone knows it's Baltimore, duh. When I went away to college, I thought things would improve, but I couldn't have been more wrong. At the University of Georgia, most of the students are from that fine state or nearby*, and when I'd tell them where I was from, I kid you not, the most frequent response was "Oh, you mean Indianapolis?" I even had to argue with someone once that Annapolis was a completely separate place, not located in Indiana... an argument that left me feeling simultaneously righteously outraged and temporarily depressed. So thank goodness for Condoleezza Rice and the Peace Conference. You'd have thought George Washington, Bill Belichick, and Travis Pastrana would be enough to put Annapolis on the map, but it took a Secretary of State and a handful of heads of state... hopefully sparing future college-bound Annapolitans the countless annoying conversations I suffered. And on to the many blessings... If you ever need tips on great coffee, the best dining with a view of the harbor, where to dig into a reuben and a Guinness or, of course, pick crabs, or how you can sit down with Alex Haley, you know where to find me.

*This is in no way a slam on Southerners. I had fellow Annapolitans, at schools all over the country, relate similar stories.

Sarah Handel

Tags: Annapolis | Maryland | peace conference