There are a few quintessential concepts that come to mind when you think of the benefits of living in a small town. The first few things that pop into my head are white picket fences, typical nuclear households, and friendly neighbors. If you grew up in a small town like I did, you grimace at the idea of someone idolizing suburban life. You know that it’s not always composed entirely of overly jovial families with 2 1/2 kids. When you’re young, this lifestyle might seem to be the most desirable. However, as you age you realize that the tiny town that you once loved may not be as ideal as you once perceived it to be. Here are the trails and tribulations of small-town living

1. Small-town residents are obsessed with perfection.

Cute little towns with small populations are not immune to the ills of society. The self-imposed struggle to maintain an image of apparent perfection is something that small towns suffer greatly from. The truth is this; some parents get divorced, some people are unsatisfied with their lives, and some kids don’t excel at everything they do, yet we sweep these truths under the rug in order to appear infallible.

2. Everyone knows everyone.

At first, the idea of knowing everyone in the area you live may seem like a positive aspect of suburban living. Who doesn’t want to have a great relationship with the people they have to see everyday? While this may seem desirable at its surface, everyone knowing everyone is a breeding condition for drama and gossip. If everyone knows everyone, everyone knows everyone’s business. There are no secrets in a small town, so if you’re a person who likes to keep to themselves in a way, small towns are an inescapable web of your whispers that you most likely want to avoid.

3. There is nothing to do.

Besides gossiping and starting drama, there is really nothing exciting that happens in a small town and there is certainly not much to do. The nearest mall is most likely a long drive away and the most exciting thing that takes place inside your town is probably a community fair or carnival that pop up for a week every year. If there is something exciting going on, it most likely requires you to drive for a long period of time to get to.

4. Everyone thinks the same way.

In my circumstance, I grew up in an area where people share many of the same opinions and worldview. There is a significant lack of diversity in thought. Everyone wants the same thing; to settle down and recreate the small town experience for themselves and the 2 1/2 children that they plan on having. No one strives for something more and almost everyone settles for less. Anyone who thinks differently is treated differently.

Before you misinterpret my critique as ungratefulness, let me explain that I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that my small-town upbringing provided me with. However, that does not make the lifestyle, or any style of living exempt from criticism. When we refuse to acknowledge the issues in anything, we reinforce the negative even further.