I have never considered myself to be a city-girl. My parents know very well that I would have been a much happier child if I was raised on a farm, smelling like fertilizer and hay-bails, instead of growing up on the outskirts of Philadelphia. I was a born country girl. At least, I thought I was.
I come from a town that is only 20 minutes outside of one of the most important cities in the United States: Philadelphia. If you were to ask any of my neighbors or friends if we thought we were from the city, we would immediately say that we were not, but that we could get there easily if needed. The differences between the city and my hometown are astounding; how could anyone ever assume that I lived in such a big place?
After the realization that the city was never for me, I decided on a college that held only 1,300 students; I figured it would be perfect. Small school in the mountains, I could go on runs and find abandoned farm houses and private lakes. Clearly, although it was much smaller than I was used to, this was just the place for me. For some though, this was uncomfortable, and very overwhelming. How are you overwhelmed by so few people?!
Nearly 80 percent of the students on campus come from high schools with graduating classes less than 400 students. Our graduating class at Misericordia is a little less than 500 students; that is a lot more students than they are used to. My roommate in my first year explained to me that she had only 20 people in her graduating class. I was dumbfounded at the thought.
Slowly, more and more things began to happen that showed my home to be more of a city than I had first imagined.
Here are some little difference that I have found:
1. Wawa
In my hometown, I live in a two mile radius of at least four Wawas and rarely go one week without having at least coffee from this food market. While I will have to admit that Sheetz is not as terrible as many Philadelphian’s have claimed it to be (sorry friends), it is no match to Wawa.
2. Suburbia
Not only is the Dallas area known for an inadequate amount of sidewalks, it also holds some of the most magnificent homes. It has only made me realize how much of a suburbia my hometown is as each house on my block only differs in colors, and whether or not the garage was transformed into a basement.
3. Philadelphia Vs. Wilkes
4. Door Holding
50 feet away? Walking at the rate of a snail? No worries, any door at any building on this campus will be held for you if a person is near! In the Philly suburbs, I am lucky if the automatic door stays open.
5. Bowling
Maybe I just have the head of a city-girl and the heart of a southern belle. Either way, I am grateful for all of the opportunities that I have been given both in my "city" and in my Back Mountain home!
