A complaint that I often hear from my friends is that they want to get out of "this town," wherever "this town" actually is. It seems like a common sentiment to want to escape from what we deem to be boring and ordinary. However, I haven't had the chance to experience that feeling in my life, because I was fortunate enough to live in a lot of different places when I was growing up. In fact, I've lived in six different states, and I think that doing that has given me invaluable experiences for my future life. Here are three reasons why living in a place that's different from your hometown is something that everyone should do at some point in their life.

1. You make new friends

This is perhaps the most obvious reason why moving somewhere new is a good thing, but it still holds true! When you move to a new place, you meet many new people, whether it's at another school, your new job or at a new church. I have friends in each of the states that I've lived in, and it's amazing how I now know people all around the country! I feel blessed to have met so many amazing people all around this great nation.

2. You learn about different cultures

I have lived in Missouri, Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma, Illinois and Iowa. Each one of those states is unique and incredible in its own right. When I lived in each of these places, I got a taste for the history and culture of each state and its place in the fabric of our nation. For example, in elementary school in Arizona, I learned about the rich history of the Apache and Navajo tribes and how these tribes continue to affect Arizona today. In Oklahoma, I experienced tornadoes and wheat fields like I had never seen before. And in Illinois, I witnessed the beautiful contrast of corn fields and the sprawling metropolis of Chicago. Every state is different, even the ones that seem like they are flat cornfields, like Iowa. The culture of every state is different, so you have to go experience it for yourself!

3. You get to visit more states that aren't your own

The United States is a big place. Some states are larger than whole countries in other parts of the world, which can make travel somewhat difficult. Because of this, if you only live in one place, you are sometimes limited in how much of the country you have seen. Since I've lived in many different regions of the United States, I've been able to visit a lot of the contiguous states, 36 of the 48, in fact! Being able to travel to new places that you don't live is just another reason living in a new place is a great way to experience new things!

If you get the chance to live somewhere new, I really encourage you to try it! Even if you really dislike the place that you grow up in, living in new places can also help you appreciate your hometown even more. I'm so glad that I've lived in so many different places, and I hope that you get the chance to do so, too!