1. You’ve Mastered the Art of Navigating Mud Season
- You know that “spring” means ankle-deep mud, impassable dirt roads, and a car that’s never truly clean again.
2. High Prices Feel Normal (Even When They Shouldn’t)
- You’re no longer shocked that a loaf of bread costs $6, a burger and a pint runs over $30, and property taxes are crushing—even compared to big cities.
3. You’ve Become a Weather Warrior
- You’ve survived endless gray, unpredictable rain, summer humidity, and winters where heating and plowing costs rival your mortgage. Floods and wild temperature swings are just part of life now.
4. You’ve Given Up on Cell Service and Malls
- Spotty cell reception and a total lack of shopping malls don’t faze you. You’ve learned to live without big-box convenience and Kafka-esque DMVs.
5. You’re on a First-Name Basis with the General Store
- The old-fashioned general store is your go-to for everything from maple creemees to last-minute groceries. You know the staff, and they know you.
6. You’ve Attended (or Hosted) a Cider Pressing or Maple Festival
- Community events like cider pressing, maple festivals, or lake activities are a staple of your social calendar. You can’t imagine fall without them.
7. You’re Used to an Aging, Tight-Knit Community
- The population is small, aging, and not very diverse. You know your neighbors—and probably their parents and kids too. Making friends is easy, but the social scene is quiet.
8. You’ve Become a Maple Creemee Connoisseur
- You have strong opinions about the best maple creemee stand, and you’ll drive out of your way for the perfect one.
9. You’re Either Burnt Out or Blissfully Content
- You’ve felt the strain of high costs, limited job growth, and a tough housing market—or you’re one of the lucky ones who finds the slower pace and natural beauty perfect.
10. You’ve Forgotten What It’s Like to Live Anywhere Else
- The quirks of Vermont—dusty roads, friendly neighbors, lack of nightlife—feel so normal that anywhere else seems strange. You’ve stopped even considering moving.
Sources:
- https://wonderswithinreach.com/2021/10/8-things-you-need-to-know-before-visiting-vermont-in-the-fall/
- https://www.vistage.com/vistage-chair/chair-academy/
- https://www.lung.org/blog/whooping-cough
- https://www.pbs.org/johngardner/sections/writings_speech_1.html
- https://www.salesforce.com/blog/sales-interview-questions/