Coming from a small town, when I tell people where I am from, I typically hear “Never heard of it,” “Where’s that?” or “Oh, is that near (a city no where close to where I am from)?” Spending the large majority of my 19 years in a small town, I have definitely found what’s great about it, and what’s not. So, here is what you get when you live in a small town:

1. Knowing at least one person in any store or restaurant you go to.
Whether you are in a cheerful mood, and are excited to see people you know, or really don’t want to talk to anyone, chances are you’re going to see someone you know, and you are going to have to make small talk.

2. The small restaurants where the servers have your order memorized.
Maybe it’s a sign you eat there too much, but regardless, sitting down at a restaurant and having a server just say “The usual?” doesn’t happen in big cities.

3. Growing up a few doors down/a few streets over from your best friends.
Throwback to before everyone in your group of friends had a car and license, riding around on bikes to the pool in the summer was the way to do it. Bored on a Sunday afternoon? Walk a block over to your friends. Nothing to do after school? Ride your bike around the neighborhood until you decide to stop by and say hey to a friend.      

4. Being known as ____’s younger sister or _____’s daughter. This one got old, and it happened a lot.  The older I got, the more I accepted it, but growing up where adults did not know me for me was annoying.   

5. The unity. When a tragedy happens in a small town, the whole town comes together to get through it. Everyone puts aside their differences and focus on what really matters.   

6. The haterz. There’s always that group of people who always say “I can’t wait to get out of here!” (Those people typically never leave.) Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, but I will always love my small home town!