I grew up in a town of less than 1000 people. I had to drive 15 minutes to get groceries. But, I could walk out my front door and see the stars, I know every one of my neighbors. I got plenty of peace and quiet. There are plenty of reasons why I like living in a small town. I'm not naive enough to think that life will be just like it is in the movies, where I live in a loft apartment and live a super fancy life where all of my dreams come true. There's a reason why those are movies and not real stories; yet, there are more than a few reasons why I want to live in a big city.

1. There is a wide variety of cultures.

Small towns are not known for their rich culture. The vast amount of people who live in a city means that there are far more cultures represented. There are more museums and festivals and stage shows. Big cities are chocked full of exciting things to do and amazing people to meet.

2. There are tons of options when it comes to food.

More culture means more opportunities for diversity when it comes to food. Instead of the chain restaurants that you can see in every city, you can get food from around the world. You can get hamburgers and pizza made by people who have been perfecting their recipe their whole lives.

3. The independent bookstores are cuter.

Living in a small town means that you probably buy most of your books from Wal-Mart or the big stores like Barnes and Noble. But, big cities have much more independent bookstores, owned by people who love books and want to share their love with the world. They also smell like old books, which is the best smell ever.

4. There are more job opportunities.

There are a lot more job opportunities in a big city then there are in a small town. You can network and find better and higher paying jobs. You also don't have to sit in a cubicle. That can't be a real thing.

5. You can go to the amusement park or pier.

Living in a small town means that the closest thing you get to an amusement park is the county fair and those can be terrifying. They also only come once a year. Living in a big city means you can go downtown to ride rollercoasters if you want.

6. There are major league sports to watch.

As much as I love watching my hometown sports teams, I've always wanted to see a major league sports game. There's something about being in the stadium that you definitely don't get when you're sitting in your house watching on TV.

7. It's a challenge.

Part of growing up is learning to fend for yourself. Nothing forces you to fend for yourself like living in a big city and having to learn how to be an adult as you go.

8. The views are more amazing.

While looking down my street and seeing nothing but cornfields and horizon is great in it's own way. I'd really love to see sprawling skylines and the bright lights and crowded streets of the city.

9. There's a downtown with family owned shops.

The most appealing part of living in a big city for me is the downtown aspect. You know the part of every town where it's not all skyscrapers and big grey buildings. The more homey part of the city where you can see people on the corner playing the guitar or the independent stores.

10. There are more small coffee shops.

Starbucks is great, don't get me wrong. There's something about sitting down in a coffee shop and having a latté with the cool design in the foam, and seeing all the hipsters with their writing their screenplays.

11. The music is better.

Living in small town USA means that the only bands who ever come near you are probably country bands. I have never been a fan of country music. My taste in music is the band playing indie music covers in the bar or coffee shop, or the guy playing "Wonderwall" by Oasis or "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd on the street corner.

12. There are a variety of ideas to be shared.

Some small towns are very conservative and some are very liberal. But, there isn't much variety within the people. They're either all conservative or all liberal. Living in the big city with more people means that there are a variety of ideas, both politically, creatively, and socially.

13. People watching is easier.

The variety of people living in a big city means there's bound to be some weirdos, they can certainly be interesting. But, every person you see on the street has a story and people watching is a great way to figure out these stories.

14. There are new people to befriend.

Big cities means lots of new people with lots of stories to tell and the possibility to become future lifelong friends. There are plenty of new people to meet and get to know.

15. Parks are prettier.

A park in a small town can have your typical playground equipment and a statue or two, but parks in cities are filled with trees and statues, a beautiful green oasis in the sea of concrete.

16. The holidays are even better.

Whether it's the Macy's Parade or a huge Christmas tree in the middle of town, the holidays are so much better in the big city.

17. It's the perfect place to learn about the real world.

Living in a big city for any amount of time is sure to show you the "real world" that everyone tells you about. You will see the struggles you hear about in the news in real life, and hopefully won't have to go through them yourself. You can learn valuable life skills and you learn about who you really are.