The best things about West Jefferson, Ohio

West Jefferson, Ohio. Population: 4,500.

That’s right, there are barely enough individuals living in West Jefferson to consider it a town. We recently added a fourth traffic light.

Everybody knows everybody

There are an average of 86 students per graduating class and each graduation ceremony lasts approximately forty-five minutes. Unless you transfer to the school as a junior and chose to attend the technical school, everyone knows at least three facts other than the name of each person who walks across the stage to receive their diploma. Regardless of whether or not that person knows what you know about them and whether or not it is true is an entirely different story.

Your quick food choices are pizza or Subway

It is Thursday night. Your aunt, who is also your next door neighbor, makes dinner on Sunday and your mom only cooks on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday depending on each child’s athletic schedule. So, what’s for dinner? Flyers, Mikes, Bambinos, Pat’s, Todd’s. . . or Subway?

Football, football, football

If you drive down Main Street on a Friday night in the Fall you will assume you have come across a ghost town. That is probably because everyone is at Kyle Field cheering on the Roughriders. And chances are, even after graduation, you will return for at least one football game a season. PSA: Whether you graduated a year ago or ten years ago, leave your letterman jacket and old jersey – you are not Ezekiel Elliot and it should not be worn as a crop top – in the box in the attic where they belong. It is, however, still acceptable to sing the fight song – because I know you know every word.

It’s a tradition

The atmosphere at West Jefferson High School on a Friday in the fall is indescribable. That’s right, get excited. The bells are set to the Pep-Rally schedule and you get to watch last weeks football highlights while eating Roughrider Steak and mashed potatoes with yellow gravy. And after every football game, the victory bell rings and everyone car pools to the truck stop for post-game Waffle House.

“Is that what you guys do for fun, have bonfires in the middle of cornfields?” 

Disclaimer: we do not live in the middle of a cornfield nor do we have “Drive Your Tractor To School Day” – cough, cough, Farmbanks. However, many weekends are spent having bonfires at Miller’s, campouts at Man Cave, and barn parties. . . in cornfields.

Starplex – Movies 10

General consensus is, “there is nothing to do in this town.” Luckily we only live ten minutes from Hilliard. Unfortunately you cannot go to Texas Roadhouse or the movie theater without seeing at least three familiar faces.

Taylor Blair Bridge

The summer the bridge was being reconstructed, everyone was disheveled. Those that lived on or off of Taylor Blair Rd. had to take a very round-about detour to and from their homes. Because this was extremely inconvenient for the residence, and just as inconvenient for those of us that were frequent visitors, the residence built a footbridge with an uprooted tree trunk across the water to the road on the other side of the “bridge.”

Homecoming

Chances are your boyfriend does not go to your high school, he attends another one of the high schools in your county. So between homecoming and prom, you will probably attend twelve school dances over the course of four years, potentially thirteen if you are lucky enough to receive an invitation to prom as a sophomore.

So why do we come back?

Most of us start counting down the days until graduation at age six when we enter Kindergarten. If you grow up in West Jefferson, you will spend twelve years planning your escape and talking about how you will never return. Though you know something about this place will always feel like home.