As someone who has grown up relatively close to a city, the transition from leaving home to a less urban area has had its ups and downs. There are some things you may miss, like the restaurants (where you’ve become a regular), the hidden gem places, public transportation, the endless coffee shop options, the urban parks -- the list goes on. Sometimes being in a city made you feel less lonely because there was always movement and somewhere to be. Although moving somewhere a little more secluded is an exciting adventure because it’s a new environment, there are times when you wish it was easy to just get on a train and hang out at your favorite spot.
Everyone has a love/hate relationship with public transportation. There are times when you swear to yourself you’ll never take it again because it’s running late, as per usual, and then times you’re happy to spend a moment of solitude on the train. Either way, it’s one of the best qualities of living near a city, and a convenient way to travel. There is also pleasure in realizing you’ve become familiar in finding your way around with train and bus routes. But then again, it’s also a good thing if you’re not close to a train or bus system, because chances are you’ll spend most of your time off campus, and then those coffees and lunch date bills will add up.
Food cravings are the worst in school, especially if it’s food from home. It’s even harder not to miss the hole-in-the-wall restaurants and cafes you and your friends discovered and claimed. With discovering places also always comes the tiny feeling of satisfaction when you know you’ve found a good spot that not many people have heard about. And strangely, the late hours that places are open until is another perk about living an urban area, because all late-night cravings can be easily fixed.
You could also easily pass time and find new things to do, and with all the museums, squares, and surrounding parks there is never a boring day. You could probably name all your favorite bookstores or ice cream shops, and all of the other places you've religiously gone to, because you've been so many times. These places don't seem that important, since you've had the leisure of living near them, until you have to be hours away. Going home is not only an opportunity to rekindle relationships with close friends and to catch up with family, but also the chance to spend hours at all the places you've missed.
Living by a city was one of the best parts of growing up because there was always something new to do and there was never a reason to be bored. Strangers pushing past you and the sound of heavy traffic isn’t something you think you’d miss very much, but it happens more often than one would think. But at the same time, relocating to a simpler setting can change your appreciation for natural surroundings.
Some feel that living near a city can be exhausting and that the pace of it is overwhelming. So in many ways, going to school away from it can be a healthy break (and a cost-friendly one too). Yes, it's an exciting and eventful life but tranquility is just as valuable. When you get to wake up to the sun rising over mountains or have pure, untouched snow, as opposed to black, muddy slush formed by traffic, you begin to appreciate the simple qualities that make your new surroundings.
