My whole life I have been born and raised in a small little country town. In my town everyone's next door neighbor is most likely a family member.

Everyone in my town goes to the same high school and the parents went to that high school as well; even some grandparents attended that high school. As for me, I was a fourth generation leaving Gaston High School.

Where I come from, everyone senior year whoops and hollers about how they can't wait to get out of that small town. They can't wait to leave. They can't wait to do something more than they are doing right now.

However, as much as they holler those phrases most of them never leave and end up stuck in that small town. I was never one of those kids that were just dying to get away from everything. Yes, I want to learn, explore, and see bigger things but I've never taken my small town for granted.

When I graduated high school I left. Now when I'm about to start my fourth year of college I'm only 30 minutes away from that small town and couldn't be happier.

Yes, we all want to get out of the circumstances we are in, but sometimes if you try too hard you might wind up stuck there. It's usually the ones who want to get out the most that get stuck.

Just because I was raised in a small town doesn't mean I'm stuck there. I'm free to leave whenever I want. However, as I get older I find myself not wanting to go as far off as I once wanted to.

I find myself looking for job opportunities at an arm's length away. I find myself thinking more about when I get married and have kids do I really want to be that far from my mom and dad?

Another thing about small towns, when and if you leave always remember to come back. Don't be ashamed of where you are from. Take pride in your community, school, and people.

Remember one day when you are sitting in a nice big plush office the people that got you there. Remember those small town people and they'll remember you. Don't be the girl (or boy) that leaves and trash talks the small town. Be proud of your small town and remember that you aren't stuck there because you control your destiny.