- Hannah Rockwell

       Why would someone want to get away from the beautiful scenery and wildlife in Alaska? Although this may seem unimaginable for some, what Colleen Cronin, a brown haired twenty-two year old, wants most is to move away from Alaska.
       People from all over the world come to Alaska to escape the business and chaos of everyday life. The majestic, snow covered mountains attract thousands of people, but aren’t so special for some of those who live in Alaska. Colleen has grown up in Alaska and for her the mountains are just as much a part of everyday life as the Great Lakes are for Michiganders. Colleen has lived in Alaska all of her life, but from visiting other states on family trips and attending college in Idaho, she caught the bug of the city life. “The mountains are pretty, but they’re just mountains,” Colleen said.
       Colleen is returning to college in Alaska in the fall to study to become a chiropractor, and hopes to move to California to get away from the isolation of the wilderness in Alaska. Colleen wants to have options about what to do. “You can’t really go anywhere unless you want to be in the middle of nowhere,” Colleen said.
       Even though the mountains and landscape can be breathtaking, you can’t interact with them like you can people. For people like Colleen, views can’t replace human interactions and the freedom of options.