What Living in Iowa is Like, According to Twitter

I'm on Twitter a lot for part of my job, covering UNI Panther sports (go follow ya boy, @EliotClough). That site can be a dark place.

With the advent of social media, it's become incredibly commonplace for people to ridicule or demonize others due to the lack of consequences that doing such a thing in person would bring. Folks can get really mean on this app.

BUT, there's some great stuff on there, too. Legitimate reporters cover news and sports, users share funny stories and memes, and some real, genuine conversations can be had on the platform.

One beneficial feature is the use of the search bar -- you can type in any phrase and Twitter will find tweets with the exact context you're looking for.

Out of curiosity, I typed in 'living in Iowa,' along with a few similar phrases to see what there was. I was not disappointed.

One of my personal favorite things about Iowa is the authenticity of people, even in the larger communities. Sure, 'Iowa Nice' is a thing in the small towns across the state, but cities like Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and the like have this same kindness. And it's not fake.

I LOVE that about the Hawkeye State.

No, I'm not a world traveler -- I've only been out of the country one time in my life -- but I've been to a few different places across the United States. It's not common to find people who genuinely enjoy sharing goodwill with one another.

Sure, fine. There may not be as many things to do in Iowa as California, New York, Florida, etc., but there's a real sense of warmth and caring for one another in Iowa that can't be found in places like that. It's one of the many reasons I am proud to call Iowa home.