Coming from a town of roughly 2,000 people and being thrown into a city of over 600,000 people, I've grown to appreciate the small town, country life (as one would imagine). There is something about driving down a backroad, windows down, music blared, alone, without another person in sight. Or maybe it is simply knowing your neighbor, or the love and hospitality you receive from your fellow town members. Now, coming from Campbellsport, a town I often forget to give credit too, I've learned more than I ever could imagine, and I owe it growing up in the good ole’ water tower town Campbellsport! Here's four reasons why I believe living in the country is better than the city!

1. There's space!

Experiencing city life for my first year of college has been nothing short of challenging, but it has shown me a lot of things, one major thing being to appreciate the space I have living at home! I took for granted the ability to look out my window and see a cornfield, or my beautiful backyard. When in a city, I find it challenging to get away from the noise and find something to look at other than people and buildings. The space of the countryside allows one to take in the beauty of the earth, without having to worry about a thing. Not only is the space great for taking the beauty in, but for all the activities that one can imagine! You can run around, play football, ghost in the graveyard, or go sledding! Major throwback to my childhood with all these fun games, which forced me to appreciate the outdoors.

2. Peacefulness

Noise, noise, noise. You can't escape it in the city, whether it be early morning or late at night you always hear something. Living in the country, you can experience the beauty of silence. You may hear the occasional cow mooing or tractor driving down the road, but those are minor and become of second nature to one. In our society we never have time to sit down and hear nothing. Well, living in the country you can find that peacefulness that we all long for!

3. Clean Air

This might be my favorite part of living in the country! Considering you may be the only car on the road, I bet you can imagine how much cleaner the air is compared to that of the city. The fresh air when you step out the door is something that is indescribable. That being said, the clean air comes along with some smells that are acquired. Maybe it's the smell of the farm down the road, or the freshly harvested crop. Whatever it may be, these are the smells of home.

4. The Sense Of "Community"

You always can count on your neighbors being a part of your family. Whether you need an ingredient to finish off that cake you are making, or even just a friend to talk with while enjoying the beautiful weather, you can always know that the people living next door to you will be right there to answer that need. Nothing beats the sense of community you get when growing up in a small town. That being said you don’t need to be suspicious when people are kind to you. You feel as though you are part of genuine community, not just another number in the crowd. Growing up in a small town, I have first hand experience with the sense of community and nothing compares to the feeling. The small town life has so much to offer, and belonging to a genuine crowd of people may be the best thing to come out of living in one.