When anyone asks me where I'm from, I say that I'm from the Twin Cities. I can't just say I'm from St. Paul or Minneapolis because that would be wrong. (Even though it says on the student list at my school that I'm from St. Paul. Ask any of my friends about how I feel about this and they will tell you that I get pretty upset about it.) If they ask for specifics, I say that I'm from a suburb just outside of St. Paul and I leave it at that.
On the first day of classes, after introducing myself to several classmates in my German class, I realized for the first time that I was from a very densely populated area. Lots of the people in my class could just name a town they were from (because there were no other bigger cities near where they lived), and by my saying that I was from "a suburb just east of St. Paul", I finally understood my anonymity -- I was just one person in a metropolitan area of at least 3.30 million.
This realization got me thinking about how I felt living in a small college town.
Now, this isn't to say that I hadn't thought about living in a small town. In fact, this was one of the reasons why I chose my school in the first place. I wanted to feel like I wasn't just a number anymore. I felt like living in a city (suburb) was too stuffy, too crowded, and too impersonal. I wanted to live in a quaint little town in the heart of the Midwest with idyllic scenery, some farms, and rolling hills. I wanted to live in simplicity, where I could have space to focus on my studies, but still have the opportunity to walk (!!!) downtown to the main strip of road with the cute little shops and eateries.
I've lived here for about a year now, and I'm still in love with this town, but I now understand the hardships of living in a rural area. Here are two pros and two cons I've found living here for a year:
Pro #1: I love the scenery where I live.
Seriously. My walks to class are so enjoyable. There are plenty of flora and fauna to witness as I'm making my way to breakfast. I get to witness the change of seasons every single day. Sometimes, I will take some time as I'm walking somewhere to forget my worries and just appreciate my surroundings. It's a wonderful thing.
Con #1: I do love the feeling of living in a small town, but I can't really say that I feel connected with the town itself.
I'm on campus a lot more than I am in town. My school in and of itself is its own small town, so in my college's community, yes, I feel pretty involved and connected. I only go into town about once a week, if that, and I don't really belong to any clubs or activities beyond my school (I'm busy). I'm not too upset about this, and I'd rather it be this way, because I'm only here for three more years, and I don't want to make my leaving this town (come graduation) any harder. Besides, I don't have to worry about *literally* everyone knowing my business all the time (which is what my mother, who is from a small town in Pennsylvania, warned me might happen).
Pro #2: I love that I don't have opportunities to spend what little money I have.
I really don't spend much money to begin with. But living in a small town and not having many opportunities to spend my money has been very helpful because I know that I'll have a pretty hefty bill to pay off when I graduate from here. When I really need things, I will buy them off Amazon or I will wait until I go home to get a few things.
Con #2: I have cravings. Lots of them.
Living in a metropolitan area spoiled me. When I had a really busy day and had to quickly get from one place to the next, I could always rely on getting myself a bowl of Orange Chicken from Leann Chin or Panda Express or some soup from Panera. Now that I live in a small town, I only have two McDonald's, two Subway's, and some local restaurants. No longer do I have an endless array of options to find myself something quick to eat.
I mean, that is a pretty short list of things I like or don't like about living in a small town, and I'm sure I'll add to the list as I keep living here. I still have about three years left to enjoy this place, so I'll take the time to slow down and savor my time here.
