I have lived in Osawatomie, Kansas since the day I was born. I have only lived in two different houses and they are right across the street from each other! Living in a town of 4,000 has lots of struggles and lots of positives; here are a few.

1. Sonic

Sonic is the hangout spot in my hometown. If you want to go get something to eat or a refreshing drink around 3 p.m., you will have to brace yourself for the entire high school being there after school gets out!

2. Cruising

Although it is not a major thing in my generation, we have all heard our parents tell the stories of cruising. For anyone who doesn’t know what cruising is – you pretty much just all load up in cars and drive up and down Main Street for hours.

3. Gossip

Facebook couldn’t tell you the news any faster! Living in a small town means that everybody knows all of your business whether you want them to or not.

4. Going To The Movies

The closest movie theater is thirty minutes away, unless it's summer. Everyone cannot wait until Memorial Day because that means that the drive-in movie theater opens and you know that you will be there every weekend until school starts again.

5. Football

There is nothing like the cool crisp air during football season. Win or lose, the entire town will be at every high school football game in the fall.

6. Safety

You never carried a house key because it was always unlocked.

7. School

Your teachers knew all of their students and it never failed that they would accidentally call you by your sibling’s name.

8. Traffic

The only traffic jam that small towns every experience is during the summer parade!

9. Where Is That?!

When people ask you where you are from you automatically start with, “I doubt you will know, but…”

10. Out Of Here

You spend your entire life wanting to move away, but in the end, you realize that it was the best place that you could have ever grown up in.