50 States for 50 Students: Oregon

What is your name? 

Max Burkart. 

Which state are you from? 

Oregon. 

Have you lived there your whole life? 

No, I lived in California for a little bit.  

Describe your state in three words. 

Trees, cold, and rural. 

Are you proud of being from your home state? Why or why not? 

I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m proud of it. I don’t have state pride, but I’m not ashamed of it. If I lived in California, I would be a little ashamed. There’s some good aspects of Oregon. It’s so beautiful but the Portland area is rough and there’s a lot of meth.  

How did growing up in your state affect your childhood? 

I come from a really small rural town so it was hard to find social opportunities. But it did give me a bunch of opportunities to go outside and try weird hobbies like archery. I am Oregon’s Archery Champion.  

I’ve met Adam Driver and Natalie Portman.  

What kind of local traditions did your town have? 

We didn’t really have any. There’s a lot of fisheries and canneries near me because my town is located in a salmon spawning area. 

What was the culture like in your state/town? 

It was a redneck culture. Everyone wore camo and drove their four wheelers around. My whole town was just rednecks and old people. 

What kind of relationship did you have with your neighbors? 

I didn’t have any relationships with my neighbors. We lived very far away from each other and the closest neighbors were 70 years old.  

What was your favorite thing to do in your home state / town? 

I loved to go to the beach. I lived two miles from the ocean so I would drive down to the jetty and watch the waves. Oregon has really cool beaches.  

Are there any foods that your state is famous for? 

Hazelnuts. Oregon and Hawaii are the only states that grow hazelnuts. Also blue cheese because there’s a creamery nearby that wins awards. Tillamook butter is also in Oregon.  

Is there any slang from your home state that you use frequently? 

No, not really. 

Do you have any local celebrities? 

There’s a whole lot of interesting people, but not really famous people. There’s a few former Olympians and pro golf players and eccentric millionaires that own tanks. I used to work at a really nice hotel and met Adam Driver and Natalie Portman.  

There’s a lot of deranged people. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of your home state? 

My favorite part of Oregon is its nature. It’s all untouched forest.  

My least favorite part of Oregon is the general mentality of the people there. There’s really high poverty and drug use rates. There’s a general mentality of people getting stuck in their lives. Most of the people I went to highschool with just kind of remained on the same trajectory as their parents.  

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of Colorado? 

My favorite part of Colorado is the mountains. I love hiking, mountain biking, and camping. My least favorite part of Colorado is the inner cities.  

What drew you to CCU / Colorado? 

The Lord working in my life really led me to CCU. I was going to go to the University of Hawaii but my mom said I should apply here and I decided why not. After that, everything fell into place.  

How has living in Colorado changed your lifestyle? 

I don’t think it really has. But it is a lot different living so close to a major city. It’s made my access to the metro stuff a lot easier.  

If someone were to visit your home state, what would you recommend they do? 

In my town, they should go to Jerry’s Jets, which is a jet tour of the river in my town. You get to go into wilderness areas that you can only otherwise hike into. You’ll see eagles and bears. It’s really cool. 

If I lived in California, I would be a little ashamed. 

After graduation, do you plan on staying in Colorado, returning to your home state, or going somewhere else? 

I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ll go back to Oregon. Maybe I’ll go to Australia or Japan.   

What are the most common stereotypes about your state and are they true? 

The most common stereotype is that all of Oregon is crazy liberals and hippies. I think that’s true. There’s a lot of deranged people. Another stereotype is that there’s a lot of drug use which is also true. Everything is legalized there.  

What is the most common reaction you get when you tell people where you’re from? 

Usually people say, “Oh, that’s so cool.” I think people picture Oregon as mountains and trees. It is a cool state. Or they have no idea what Oregon is.  

What is something surprising about your state that most people don’t know? 

How diverse the state is. The southern coast is all trees and mountains. Up north it’s all rocky coast. The east is all desert. It’s very diverse.