
Kelsey Smith relocated to the Upper Peninsula in August 2019 after accepting a job as the Athletic Communications Director at Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Originally from Islip, New York—located on the south shore of Long Island—Kelsey came to the Upper Peninsula with little knowledge of the area and no family or friends nearby. “I was surprised by how many beautiful places and sights there are to see in the U.P. that I had never heard of previously,” she said.
Luckily, Kelsey found the people in the U.P. to be genuine and kind. “I have been fortunate to meet some of my closest friends here,” she said. “Coming from a very busy area in New York, the slower pace of life took me awhile to get used to… but it has been an enjoyable change.”
Aside from the beauty of the area, Kelsey noted the affordable cost of living in the area as a driver for relocating. Compared to New York and the East Coast, the Upper Peninsula offers a huge benefit in cost of living, especially for young professionals.