My whole life I was raised in a small town. A town where everyone knows each other and each other's business. A town where you go to the local grocery store and can't make it out without at least five awkward conversations with people. I loved my childhood, the streets were safe enough where the kids in my neighborhood and I played all day until dinner was ready. Anything from manhunt to basketball to riding bikes, we had fun without technology.

I come home from college during breaks and long weekends, look around at my small town and realize it's not where I belong anymore. I am not a small town girl anymore and my dreams range wider than this town. I love my childhood and how I was brought up here playing sports and being involved with everything but it's time for me to move on.

After not going to my town's high school I began seeing the world as a bigger place and understanding that there's a lot more out there to explore. Then I went to college and met people from all over the country and understood greater, there's more to life out there. Whenever I come home now I realize I don't belong in this small town anymore. I want to be surrounded by people that don't know me. I want to walk around or drive around without people knowing who I am or knowing the car I drive. I want to create a brand new story.

It's time for me to move forward in my life because there is more out there for me besides my small town in the Valley. It's time for me to spread my wings and follow my dreams and leave behind pieces of the small town girl inside of me.

Even though I want to move on and follow my wide range of dreams, I will never forget where I came from.