LEARNING LOCALLY

CARTER
NOVEMBER 16, 2016
6:30 P.M.

ANCHOR: In Mt. Pleasant, the population divides between townies and C-M-U students. But
some individuals cross those lines. Midge Carter tells their story.

MIDGE: Trey Case and Emma Olsen (ole-sen) sit at a table in the lobby of a C-M-U residence
hall. Case scratches some answers down on a math assignment. Olsen organizes stacks of
notecards. The 18 year-old students began freshman year at C-M-U in August, after
graduating from Mt. Pleasant High School that spring. Both Case and Olsen grew up in Mt.
Pleasant, with parents employed by C-M-U. Case discusses some of the ups and downs
about transitioning from townie to student.

ACT 1: Its kinda nice because you know everything. But then youve lived in the same town
forever so it gets old. And I have to go home to do chores. (:07)

MIDGE: Olsen lives at home, and avoids rent costs. Both Case and Olsen eat home-cooked
meals whenever they like. They say they still feel independent.

ACT 3: If you live on campus its way different. Youre living on your own so you get that
experience. (:04)

ACT 4: But at the same time, when Im on campus, I still feel like a local because like, we
had our prom in the U-C, so its like, its still Mt. Pleasant. (:06)

MIDGE: C-M-U students and Mt. Pleasant locals typically dont intermingle. Townie students
like Case and Olsen break that rule. When they tell C-M-U students they grew up in Mt.
Pleasant, they generally receive a surprised reaction.

ACT 5: It was like people didnt know people lived in Mt. Pleasant. I was like a mythological
creature. I was like something they had never seen before. (:05)

MIDGE: As townies, Case and Olsen experienced frustration when the school year started
and C-M-U students overran the town. Despite becoming students, they express the same
frustration, especially when talking about traffic.

ACT 6: We hated them before that, and now were them, and I still hate them. But now, I get
it. (:05)

MIDGE: Case and Olsen continue their homework, preparing for exams just like every other
college student. They lived in Mt. Pleasant for years, but now call C-M-U their home. Im
Midge Carter, back to you in the studio.