<p>Obviously as a Reed student I’m biased, but I think Portland is a much better place to live than rural Iowa, and I don’t even like Portland that much. Portlanders have easy access to a variety of nature-oriented activities, like skiing, mountaineering, hiking and going to the beach (though the Oregon coast is no Acapulco, it’s gorgeous in its own way), so if you like nature and want to get away from the city, there’s always a way. Reed has a ski cabin, actually, so you can even do it for free. And Portland, albeit not a metropolis by any means, offers some perks of urban life, such as good and varied food and a thriving music scene. And you wouldn’t have to drive for hours if you needed a new pair of socks.</p>
<p>I have a friend who recently graduated from Grinnell, and she loved it. She’s a very social person, however, and had no problem building her entire life around her classmates and the activities they were able to engage in. As a city person I’d go crazy if I were stranded in Grinnell.</p>
<p>That being said, Grinnell is closer to Chicago than Reed is to a truly big city and my friend was able to go there for fall break a couple of times, which was the one thing I was jealous of.</p>