College introduces you to people from all over the country. Some come from big, bustling cities, and some come from small, quiet towns. We decided to come together to show you just how different those two places can be. Here's a glimpse into what life is like for someone living in a small town versus a big city.
1. Cars
In most small towns, especially the ones surrounded by farmland, you won't find that many bus stops. Public transportation is just a ghost in small towns. If you need to get somewhere, you better have a car or at least a bike. Getting your license at 16 is more of a blood ritual for transitioning into adulthood than just another version of an ID.
As someone who lives in a busy city, I have observed and personally been a part of the part of the population that does not either own a license or own a vehicle. Why I have found this to be true is when in the city, with the amount of public transportation that is provided, it ends up being less expensive than owning a vehicle and having to make payments on it as well as a monthly insurance payment.
2. Walking at night
Coming from a small town to a small city like Dover, Delaware, I was also confused why people wanted to walk places after the sun went down. I'd always been told never to walk alone at night in a city, so why would anyone want to do it here? Why wouldn't you just take your car?
After moving to Dover I was shocked at how many people wanted to go walk around the town at ten or eleven o'clock at night. Typically in a big city, it is not common to see someone walking around after nine o'clock at night. While there are cameras posted on every block, it's still quietly advised to stay indoors when the Sun goes down.
3. Sense of community
In a small town, you know the names of all the cashiers at the grocery store, you know the shifts of all your favorite waiters at your favorite diner, and you could match the K-9 dog to the patrol car he rides in. Volunteer work turns into a high school reunion, because not only are all of your fiends there but so are all of your parents, who were also friends in high school. If your family is involved in a scandal, it only takes a few hours before the whole town knows about it.
In a larger city, it is quite common to go ignored by several people. The majority of the community is always so wrapped up in their work that everything is very short and to the point. Most of the time you'll see adults with phones to their faces responding to the hundred emails they received that work day, or on their third, hour-long business call of the afternoon.
4. Culture shock of Dover, DE
Coming to Dover, Delaware from a small town was crazy. Not only were there so many different ways to get places, and chain stores and restaurants everywhere, but there was also so much noise. You might be around cars all the time in a small town, but you never
Moving from a larger city to Dover, Delaware was comically shocking. For one, there were jokes going around about not knowing Delaware was big enough to drive an hour in. Aside from the size of the area, the biggest culture shock I received was the genuine kindness from the people around me. For the first time in maybe five years, someone held the door open for me not just once but on multiple occasions. Another thing that was shocking was that people were genuinely interested in communication and sharing about their days.
5. Spending time with your family
Most people come back to their small hometowns to start a family, so there are usually several generations of families living in one town. You probably grew up right around the corner from your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. The only excuse for missing Thanksgiving is being hospitalized.
In a big city, while there is a connection with your family, it's not as abundant as in smaller towns. The city I came from was full of government workers, which my parents and stepmother are all categorized as. This meant more time at work for them and less time at home, which in turn meant that as the energetic kids we were, my siblings and I had to find creative things to get into. Once we got into the habit of walking around the city whenever we needed entertainment, we started to do it while our parents were home as well, which in turn caused a lack of family time and bonding.
6. Entertainment
If we wanted to go out in a small town, we'd go to the city.
The entertainment scene from a big city to a small town was definitely a night and day change for me. I was very much familiar with the concept of having a
