Before I came to college, I lived in a very small town located in western North Carolina. My town was a good town to grow up in, but I always knew that this town was too small to spend my whole life in. For college, I decided to move to the “big city.” That big city being Raleigh, which to some of you, Raleigh probably isn’t big at all.

Coming here, I encountered all sorts of people coming from various parts of the country. Many of the people I met were not from a town like mine and found it hard to understand what it was like growing up in such a small place All they knew about small towns was stuff they have seen in movies or TV shows.

Their assumptions about small-town life were not quite accurate.

1. Everyone knows each other

Contrary to popular belief not everyone knows each other just because they live in a small town. When I walk into Walmart do I know every single person? No.

Yes, when I go out in public I do usually see at least one cousin, some random person that I went to high school with, and potentially a family member that I have no clue how we are related. No, we do not know everyone but we do know everyone’s business.

2. Everyone is a country hick

Just because you are from a small town does not mean that you are a country hick. There are a lot of very country people in small towns, I will admit, but not everyone is.

I mean, I have only been muddin’ once, and I only swim in the creek on the warm days. But that's it.

3. Everyone is a little crazy

People think that people from small towns must be a little crazy because they have nothing to do. But I say we aren’t as crazy as any of you people from the big city.

I mean, yeah, we believe that Abraham Lincoln was born in my town, even though no history book or any person outside of my town would agree. We are not crazy though, just proud to have the tiniest Abraham Lincoln museum you’ve ever seen.

4. Everyone owns tractors and cows

Not everyone from a small town is a farmer. Just because you are from a small town doesn’t mean that you have thirty cows and twenty chickens in your backyard.

To be fair, my backyard used to be a home for some cows but they were not mine.

5. There’s nothing to do

We may not have huge shopping centers and nice movie theaters with recliner backs in my small town. But there is plenty to do.

Well, if you consider staring at a bonfire for hours on end on a Saturday night “something” to do. There may not be much to do in a small town but we know how to get creative, kind of.

Now that I think about it, people may not be that far off in their assumptions.