After spending my spring break in my hometown for a week, I realized all of the little quirks that come with growing up in a town that’s so small compared to the big towns and cities that stand off in the distance. Here’s a list of things from my experience of growing up in a small town that hopefully you’ll identify with if you’ve grown up in a small town, too.

1. You know everyone from your graduating class and in the school

You’ve seen every face of every person at least once and you can somehow also put a name to the face even though you have never talked to that person in your life.

2. You have your own slang and lingo

Most of the slang usually just includes incorrect grammar, but the lingo from your small town sets you apart. It becomes quite confusing to other people when you go to college and you say something that has been normal to you your whole life, and they look at you like you’re speaking a completely different language.

3. You spend most of your money going out to eat

Chances are that there’s not much to do in your small town, so “hanging out” with someone usually includes going out to eat either at a fast food restaurant or a family owned sit down restaurant where you can shoot the breeze for a couple of hours.

4. There’s a hangout spot

Ah yes, the cherished place that all locals know about and go to. It’s somewhere that all of the locals go, usually after school, games, practices, etc. to casually sit down, talk, and buy cheap food or drinks (ex. Dunkin’ Donuts, Sheetz, etc.)

5. You See the same people everyday

Whether it be at school or in town, you see the same sets of people that you’ve seen your whole life, rarely having any room for fresh faces. And then there’s those infamous figures who you always see out and about, who are so popular, that everyone has nicknames for them.

6. Abandoned and condemned buildings

Between dilapidated houses from fires and big abandoned factory buildings, there’s so many neglected fixtures throughout the town that have just naturally become apart of the “rustic” scenery.

7. Churches and bars

A lot of locals will take pride in the fact that their town has a church and a bar on every block. I guess it makes sense, because when you get older and still stay in the same old town you’ve lived in your whole life, is there anything better to do than pray and booze?

8. A lot of your teachers aren’t just teachers

Considering you live in such a “tight-knit” community, a lot of your teachers in high school were probably also your coaches, directors, club advisors, and most-likely also had children of their own who attended your school.

9. Sporting events are usually well attended

It never matters if you’re winning or losing, you probably always had a decent turnout to any of the sporting events you went to or played in. There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned Friday night football game to bring the people of your town together in the same place, especially when it’s the big rivalry game with the town next to you.

10. The news about the town next to you is also your news

It may be the town that’s three towns away, but because everything is so geographically close, anything good or bad that happens there, also has an effect on your town. *The Dunkin’ Donuts bathroom burnt down (2 towns away)? OMG, that was right next to me, I go there all of the time!*

11. You have to drive at least 30 minutes to do anything fun

Your town was never one known for its exciting and entertaining atmosphere. So in order to do anything relatively normal, like shopping or going to the movies, you better fill up that gas tank, because it’s time for a ROAD TRIP.

12. Your idea of “downtown”

Downtown isn’t a magical place where you can spend the evening with your friends. It’s usually just a linear and finite stretch of paved road that includes a couple of convenience stores and a Chinese restaurant.

13. A lot of places are in walking distance

A lot of simple pleasures, original to your town, can be found in walking distance. This one came in handy especially in the summers of your childhood when driving wasn’t an option and you still wanted to have fun. A mile’s walk seemed like nothing when there was ice cream or pizza at the end of the finish line.