The author in his natural state — a newsroom.

The author in his natural state — a newsroom.

Out of the Office: What Makes an Alaskan?

Here’s a philosophical question for the readers out there —what qualifies someone as being “Alaskan”?

Is it strictly a matter of time spent living here, or are there certain experiences that need to be had? Are you Alaskan upon receiving your first PFD check? Are you Alaskan after your 10th time getting stuck in the snow? Are you Alaskan after you’ve shot your first moose, or after you’ve hit one with your car?

A few months ago I celebrated my first full year of living in this wild and wonderful state – my “Alaska-versary,” if you will. With only a year under my belt, I’m sure most people would still consider me a Cheechako at this point (according to Urban Dictionary, the Cheechako cutoff is 25 years, which seems a little harsh to me).

I’ll admit that I’ve got a lot of things I still need to check off my Alaska bucket list. I haven’t gone ice fishing, haven’t shot (or hit) a moose, and have still only seen a small fraction of all the natural beauty that the state has to offer. Perhaps most importantly, my arrival was poorly timed in the sense that I’ll have to wait another whole year until I get that sweet, sweet oil money.

That being said, I’ve already had my fair share of Alaskan experiences, and I like to think that I’ve come a long way from the Florida boy who had never even seen snow before, let alone had to dig his car out of it.

I approached my first Alaskan winter with a mix of curiosity and naivety. The first time I drove through Nikiski after a big snowfall, my jaw dropped at the sight. The serene stillness of a world buried by the elements was hypnotizing. The first time the temperature dropped below zero I stepped outside and thought, “Hah! this isn’t so bad.”

I was actually so comfortable in the cold weather that I started to believe my winter experience would be a breeze.

And then I was blindsided by the darkness.

I had no idea how much we fragile humans depend on sunlight to keep us going. After a couple weeks of going to work and coming home in total darkness, constantly missing that tiny window of light that would occur each day, I started to feel like one of those little toy plants that dance when you put them in sunlight. My battery was drained, and I could barely bring myself to get out of bed.

Luckily for me, my cousin Ameye – who is a true Alaskan by any measure – noticed me struggling one day and pushed me to start taking Vitamin D supplements. I’ve always been skeptical about supplements and medications in general, but after a couple of days with that extra Vitamin D in my system I felt like a brand new man. Seriously, that stuff should be state-mandated for the winter months. I don’t know how people make it through otherwise.

Since I spent most of my first winter just learning how to survive, I didn’t give myself the chance to experience all the fun activities that allow Alaskans to thrive. But hey, that’s what this winter is for.

I’ll be cutting down my first Christmas tree on Friday, an experience that will no doubt be chronicled in my next column. My friends are determined to have me build a snowman and take part in a snowball fight, and I’m sure they won’t disappoint. With the famous Tsalteshi Trails practically in my backyard, I’d be a fool not to take up cross-country skiing as well.

Hopefully by the time the peninsula thaws out next spring, I’ll be a few percentage points closer to being a real Alaskan. This year I was counting the days until the first snow, which tells me that, while I may not be an Alaskan yet, I’m certainly not a Floridian anymore.

More in Sports

Kristen Faulkner, who won two gold medals for cycling at the Paris 2024 Olympics, speaks to Andrew Elam during a meet and greet hosted by the Kenai and Soldotna Chambers of Commerce at the Cannery Lodge in Kenai, Alaska, on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Homer’s Faulkner, Snaric win Alaska Sports Hall of Fame Directors’ Awards

Homer’s Kristen Faulkner and Jackson Snaric were among the seven to win… Continue reading

Cook Inlet Academy senior Ian McGarry brings the ball down the floor for the 1A/2A Boys Gold team during the Alaska Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Games on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Grace Christian School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Bruce Eggleston/matsusports.net)
McGarry, Lowney represent peninsula at senior all-star games

Cook Inlet Academy’s Ian McGarry and Homer’s Channing Lowney represented the Kenai… Continue reading

Soldotna goalie Ryan Queen notches a save in front of Kenai Central's Christine Goering on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Tuesday: Kenai girls soccer tops SoHi in season openers for both squads

The Kenai Central girls soccer team defeated Soldotna 1-0 on Tuesday in… Continue reading

Kenai Central's Chase Laker leads Soldotna's Ollie Dahl and Michael Davidson in the 1,600-meter run at the Soldotna Mini Meet on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Soldotna High School in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna, Kenai track and field compete in Soldotna Mini Meet

The Soldotna and Kenai Central track and field teams got together for… Continue reading

tease
Saturday: Homer baseball tops Petersburg, Ketchikan

The Homer baseball team finished up play at the Ketchikan Round Robin… Continue reading

tease
Bears end season with sweep at the hands of Ice Dogs

The Fairbanks Ice Dogs swept a Friday and Saturday series from the… Continue reading

Morgan Aldridge leads riders down a hill at the start of Week 3 of the Soldotna Cycle Series on Thursday, July 18, 2019, at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Sterling’s Aldridge wins duathlon at Lavaman Triathlon

Sterling’s Morgan Aldridge, 43, won the individual duathlon at Lavaman Triathlon 2025… Continue reading

tease
Friday: Homer baseball picks up 1st win of season

The Homer baseball team defeated Petersburg 11-3 on Friday at the Ketchikan… Continue reading

tease
Thursday: Homer baseball drops opener

The Homer baseball team opened its season Thursday with an 11-10 loss… Continue reading

Most Read