Many people who grew up in a small town have mixed feelings about it. We love it because of the people who live there. Even if you aren’t related to them, they become like family. The entire town celebrates together when something good happens, and they pull together in times of tragedy. However, there are times when we wish that we could live in a city with more things to do. Typically if anything interesting happens, it takes driving at least half an hour to 45 minutes to get there. Being raised in a small Midwest town of only about 1,000 people, I believe the next 11 items accurately depict life in a small town.

So, you know you’re from a small town when...

1. In school, you had some of the same teachers as your parents did when they were in school.

This was always interesting because the teachers would constantly make comments like, “You act just like your parent,” or “You are nothing like your parent.” It was always fun for them to talk about the things that your parents did while they were in that class. And it got even better when certain rules were made because of what your parent did while in the class

2. You can see one edge of town from the other.

For those of you who think I’m exaggerating, I am absolutely telling the truth. In my hometown, you could stand at one edge of town and see the edge of the other side. This was always extremely nice when you had to get somewhere in a short amount of time.

3. There were less than two to three stoplights (if any) in your town.

You are so lucky if you had a single stoplight in your town. Many of the towns around my area, including my own, didn’t have any stoplights -- just four-way stop signs.

4. Everyone knew everything about you, your siblings, your parents, and probably your dogs.

You couldn’t go anywhere without someone asking about how your family is doing or what you’ve been up to. This can be both good and bad, especially when word travels fast in a small town.

5. Cruising and bonfires were the go-to activities.

After a Friday night football game or a basketball game, there were very few things that could be done. Cruise nights became a very popular thing and bonfires were the “happening” event of every summer.

6.Everyone in your school participated in everything.

Because of the small class sizes, all students participated in as much as they could. Football players were in the band and leads in the school plays, and cheerleaders were actively involved in FFA and show choir. The cross between different activities allowed everyone in the school to get along well.

7. The “downtown” district consisted of the Main Street.

There was only one main drag in your hometown and on it were the restaurants, shops, and businesses that made your home, “home.”

8. Small town celebrations in the summer almost tripled the town’s normal population.

In Northwest Iowa where I grew up, each town had their own weekend celebration. These celebrations consisted of parades, games, tractor pulls, and a ton of food. People who grew up in the town always did their absolute best to come back home. On these weekends, a town of 1,000 people grew to about 3,000, and everyone was welcomed back with open arms.

9. You couldn’t go anywhere in town without knowing someone else there.

There was never a time where I ventured into a restaurant or store where I didn’t recognize someone or where someone else recognized me. Even if I didn’t know them, they had seen my picture in the town’s newspaper or probably heard about me from a school event. Seeing these people always resulted in a full on conversation about life and activities.

10. You had the same kids in your class from preschool to high school graduation.

With the exceptions of a few students, the kids who started school with you were the kids who graduated with you 13 years later. These classmates became like brothers and sisters, which made leaving them and the high school on graduation day the hardest day ever.

11. If you ever left and came back home after some time, everyone welcomed you back with open arms.

This last point is the reason that I am so thankful that I was raised in such a small, loving community. After going being gone for four months, I was welcomed back with open arms, almost like I had never left. The people in my small hometown truly care about the young's endeavors and adventures, which makes coming home absolutely wonderful each time.

Living in a small town provided me with valuable morals, values, and a lifelong support system. Although some of the points above may contain some humor, I could not be more thankful to have been raised in small town America.