19 Signs You Grew Up In Small Town Iowa
Start writing a post
Student Life

19 Signs You Grew Up In Small Town Iowa

If you grew up in small town Iowa, you'll know all of these things to be true.

207
19 Signs You Grew Up In Small Town Iowa
Wikipedia

If you've grown up in small town Iowa, you know there are some things that just our people do — things that normal people don't. If you can relate to these 19 things, you might just be one of us.

1. Everyone smiled and waved when you drove by.

Seriously. Name one person who doesn't smile and wave at you. Hell, sometimes they even invite you to their house.

2. You say “Op” if you accidentally bump into someone.

This has to be just a Midwestern thing, I swear.

3. Even if you don’t watch sports, you’re either a Hawkeyes or Cyclones fan.

You've never watched a game in your life but somehow ended up with an article of fandom clothing and that's your team.

4. Your school was seriously dedicated to sports.

Even if your school totally sucked at sports, they just couldn't let the fine arts have a chance.

5. When you walk down the street, at least 50% of front porches have a rocking chair on them.

You've probably never seen anyone sitting in them, but they are always there.

6. You can always rely on your neighbors for literally anything.

Sugar? Sure. Milk? Yep. Hiding a dead body? Why not?

7. Somehow the neighborhood kids end up being your own.

You invited them over for dinner and video games once, and now somehow they're always around.

8. There are no such things as “secrets.”

Even if you whisper, the whole town will hear you. Rumors and secrets spread like wildfire.

9. You have a class size of 30 people.

Yup. You grew up with the same 13-35 idiots your entire life. Good times.

10. No matter how many times you stab each other in the back, you're still family.

Even family can annoy you.

11. You really don’t mind the smell of cow/pig manure.

Ah, the smell of manure in the morning. Smells like home.

12. When the bowling alley is packed every Friday night, because it’s the only business in town.

Okay, maybe the bar too.

13. When your town has at least three churches, within a one-mile radius.

It really opens your eyes to how large the population of senior citizens actually is in town.

14. A LOT of people are on drugs.

Remember when they told us that explosion was a gas leak? Yeah, probably not.

15. Everyone at the gas station knows you by name.

They probably even know where you live and what you smoke.

16. Your parents were probably pretty tight with your teachers.

Which definitely meant you weren't getting away with that F.

17. Your town only has one cop.

Making trouble was a lot easier.

18. Having a bonfire is way cooler than any party.

Even though bonfires usually doubled as a party. Sorry about your beer, Mom.

19. Corn husks, EVERYWHERE.

Don't ask... We don't know either.

So, if you've had the pleasure of being from Iowa, you know all these little things to be true. There's nothing like small town pride!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71143
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133000
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments