To the Country Girls Surviving in the Big City,

I was and still am a good ol' country girl. Now, I say "country girl" in a very classy way. I am not a "redneck" or a "hick" or any other derogatory word you want to throw at me. I am a down-home southern belle who enjoys my sweet tea and the great outdoors. I understand the struggles of being a country girl in the city world, and I’m here to tell all of y'all country girls out there that we can survive.

There are so many things to love about the small-town, country lifestyle. Knowing everyone in town, waving and honking as I pass friends on back-roads, Sunday lunch at my grandparents’ house and four-wheeler riding on hot summer days are a few of my favorite things when I’m home for the summer. It’s almost a ritual to visit all of my favorite local restaurants and go driving around at midnight while catching up with friends. I’m sure each and every country girl has her own favorite activities to do at home.

No one else understands the importance of hitting every childhood stop during the two-day weekend when you take a quick trip home. We know that these places are full of the greatest and smallest memories that we may experience in our lives.

Remember that time we stayed out until midnight just to go to Whataburger and get a honey butter chicken biscuit? Yeah, I know it happened 20 times, but wasn't it great every time? It's the little memories like this and the big memories like prom and graduation that will continue to draw us back to our small-town roots.

The choice to move away from home instead of staying in your comfort zone will largely benefit you in the future. Knowing the ways of small-town life is the best, but becoming familiar with other ways of living will take you places where small-town living can’t.

Now, I say this in the best way possible; I mean no disrespect to my country girls that just couldn’t part with the best way to live. My goal is to encourage the small-town girls who are braving the big city to make it through these years of hustle and bustle.

Your family is enjoying their life along the back roads with the windows down and the sun shining while you are cooped up in a classroom studying and struggling under the harsh fluorescent lights. We need freedom, open spaces, and a place to experience the feeling of home. Whenever I miss home and the outdoors, I enjoy strolling along the scenic campus lakes as I breathe in the summer breeze and soak up the sunshine. It helps me momentarily forget the cars flying by and the dense traffic that awaits my journey home.

Although I miss my country roots during my months in the big city, I can't complain too much. I am receiving an amazing education that will allow me to be successful in my field. With that success, I hope to someday own a large house with a wrap-around porch and a nice plot of land surrounding it. That’s enough about my small-town fantasies. I just want every small-town country girl out there to know that she is kind, she is smart, and she is important. This, my fellow country girls, is the reason that we will be the success stories of our generation.

Until the day that I can retire happily to my country lifestyle, I will continue to power through the city life and become as happy and successful as I possibly can.

P.S. Here's a Carrie Underwood appreciation GIF for you!