10 Signs You Know What It's Like Growing Up In A Small Southern Town | The Odyssey Online
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Student Life

10 Signs You Know What It's Like Growing Up In A Small Southern Town

What I learned along the way

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10 Signs You Know What It's Like Growing Up In A Small Southern Town
Sara Jane Bowers

I grew up, and still live, in a small town. When most people visit they ask what people do when they grow up there and mostly my reply is nothing, go to the movies, and most kids get a fake ID just to show they're 18 to get into the bars. But I learned a little something growing up about 10 miles from the center of town, about a mile down a dirt road. Most of you would never perceive me as country, I despise wearing camo, but I'm about to show y'all some of my roots. Here's some things maybe you can relate to:

1. How to bait a hook.

Deep sea fishing? Nah. I'll grab my rod and reel, and catch some catfish in the pond in my back yard. Bait a hook? Learned when I was 7 for crickets and worms.

2. Drive down a muddy road.

And muddy is an understatement. I'm talking about the consistency of chocolate pudding and driving 30 mph because you're running late to school. I'm pretty sure it's worse than driving in snow, I mean you want to talk about the back of your car tailing and fearing for your life? I've got some stories for ya'.

3. Southern hospitality.

I mean people are nice in Gainesville, but there's just a difference when you drive down the road at home and every person in each car you pass waves your way. When people know everyone and their momma (which isn't always the best at times) to all the local gossip.

4. Learning to drive at 10.

I mean not really drive, but sitting on your dad's lap and pretending to turn the steering wheel while your dad presses the gas. To moving up to actually learning to drive at 14, just down the dirt road.

5. Deer in your driveway being normal.

I mean the other night when I pulled in my driveway there were about 6 deer standing there. And that's normal. So is spotting deer in the daylight.

6. Never locking doors.

I mean the people around me, I trust them. Break ins and thefts? Little to none. I never locked my car at home; I left my purse in it and everything. I mean locking the house door overnight and when on vacation or near Christmas time is a given, but I have friends who never lock their house door. I mean I could go right now and chill on their couch.

7. Not being able to go home because they're scraping the roads.

Trust me, don't try to make it down the dirt road when they're tilling up dirt thats soft and fluffy. You will bog down, be stuck, and if you have my luck not have service and sit and wait while the prison workers help you move your car. Worst day of my life.

8. Shoot skeet in your yard.

When you have a big pond, no home owner's association, and pretty much open land, what could be better? Oh yeah, nothing.

9. Have the perfect backdrop for all your photos.

I mean what's cuter than a white picket fence, with a hayfield in the background? Or a pond with a forest surrounding it.

10. The prettiest skies

There are no big lights shining during the nights, no big buildings to block them and most lights turned out by 10. The stars come out to play and never disappoint.

Hopefully y'all don't think I'm too country now because trust me, I take dresses over boots any day, I'm just southern (if you couldn't tell from my accent).

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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