I grew up in an extremely small town in southeastern Pennsylvania. My town had a population of 700 and throughout the whole town, there isn't even one traffic light. Some look back on that experience fondly, but I've found that living in a city fulfills me in ways the country never could. Here's why:
1. It takes forever to get anywhere.
The nearest restaurant was about a fifteen minute drive for me and shopping took an extra hour and a half just because it took over forty minutes to get to a shopping center. Seeing a movie could turn into a day long event.
2. There is no where to work.
I ended up working at a Christian daycare center just because I had limited options if I wanted to work at a place that was a reasonable proximity to my house.
3. There is nothing to do.
The only place we had to hangout growing up was at a corn maize. There was no form of organized activity culture other than sporting events at the school.
4. There is a lack of diversity.
The majority of the people at my high school were white, straight, cis christians and it led to a sort of closed - mindedness. Many grew afraid of what differed from their norm.
5. There is no true sense of community.
Many people think small towns lead to a stronger sense of community. For example, I knew almost everyone in my graduating class. However, I've found that more fulfilling communities are found in more diverse areas in which people bond over common interests rather than being forced into associating with each other even if they have nothing in common. There are also fewer people with whom you have the potential of sharing common interests.
6. There is no public transportation.
This is an issue if you aren't old enough to drive and if you feel like drinking and have no designated driver. At home, if someone drinks at a party, they have to sleep on the floor in this virtual stranger's house because you can't rely on being walking distance from home or having any form of public transportation.
7. There are fewer opportunities.
Living in the city has shown me how much my hometown lacks opportunity. There are internships, clubs, community wide organizations, and countless ways to get involved in anything you're interested in here.
8. You lack the cultural experience.
In my town, most of the people who lived there were born there, as were their parents. In the city, everyone I know is from a different place and they have different backgrounds. Getting to hear the different experiences associated with each background is extremely fulfilling.
9. The city's calmer.
I know that sounds crazy. Small towns are associated with being relaxed and quiet. In my experience, however, small towns host wilder parties and create chaos just out of boredom. Kids don't have the ability to go places or congregate in a safe public space, so they get together and cause trouble, which everyone is exposed to just because the town is so small that you're in proximity to everything.
10. They lack anonymity.
In a small town, everyone hears about every event in your life. Our public paper reported even on minute details of people's lives, and what you couldn't find out from there, you could hear about from friends of friends. Everyone knows each other and everyone is connected, so you end up with no privacy.
That being said, I had a good time in high school and made friendships that will last a lifetime. It was far from a bad experience, small town life just doesn't seem to be for me.
