Chicago(ish): the catchall name for Illinois suburbia that college kids proudly put in their Instagram bios. The idea of Chicago feels straightforward, but as someone from the beautifully desolate suburbs 20 minutes away from the city (no, not Naperville), it’s easier to say I’m from Chicago(ish). The city of Chicago is the gem of the “Land of Lincoln” state, a dominant city that is more well-known to non-Midwesterners. But the “ish” is my built-in disclaimer so I don’t anger the Chicago kids who live in the city. Clinging to Chicago as a geographical marker is pretty simple in introductions and social media bios, but looking deeper into the “ish” reveals a charming narrative — the experience of the Midwestern suburban dream.