Life in Ann Arbor

Gallup ParkWhen we were putting this site together for you, we had to ask ourselves: What is it that makes Ann Arbor so special? Unfortunately, we asked ourselves this question during lunch. "It's the sports!" said one woman. "Arts!" said another. "The nightlife!" the IT guy volunteered. The doc who bikes to work every day said, "It's the nature!" In no time, a food fight ensued. If it were not for the fact that the sandwiches were from Zingerman's - and we didn't want to waste a bite - we would have had trouble. We agreed to disagree and came up with this:

Ann Arbor is young, vibrant, interesting. It's exciting, pretty, spiritual. It's cozy and comfortable. It's neighborly and kid-friendly. It's a small town with the moxie of a big town. It's music and it's art. It's high-tech and low-down blues. It's big medicine and big research. It's high culture and low-priced thrift stores. It's where you cut your teeth and how you come into your own.

Every year, more than 14,000 people attend U-M's professional schools in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, business, law and social work.  Many stay, and many more go out into the world to find their niche.  But one thing is certain: they never forget Ann Arbor.

What will Ann Arbor mean to you? Here's a guide to its mysteries.