I grew up in Salem, Oregon and let me tell you it wasn't all that bad. Some people think Salem is boring or not as exciting as Portland, however, I like to differ. It is a fact that Salem is not the biggest city; nonetheless, there are plenty of cute things to do in Salem. Because I have lived in Salem for basically my whole life, I have come to appreciate it.

These 15 signs that you grew up in Salem, Oregon are not meant to be a checklist of things one had to do to be a proper "local". Everyone has a unique connection to Salem and this is just one I wanted to share.

1. Friday nights were for cue ball

The Cue Ball was the popular hangout place on Friday nights or the weekend. One could expect to see classmates at this place. It was also a good place to take someone on a date.

2. You had a photoshoot at the brick walls near Commercial Street

Whether it was for senior pictures or just for fun, if you grew up in Salem then you probably had a photo shoot in downtown Salem by the brick walls. Do not lie, at one point, you did this!

3. You went to French Press just for the Instagram pictures

Going to French Press Coffee & Crêpes was not only to eat delicious crêpes but also to Instagram them. This place had reasonable prices while still maintaining an elegant feel to it.

4. You had to drive an hour to actually go shopping

While there are plenty of stores in Salem, it lacks variety. If one wanted to go on a shopping spree, then one drove an hour to Portland. Portland malls just have way more options when it comes to shoes and apparel.

5. The Reed Opera House was for prom or weddings

If you grew up in Salem then you probably went to the Reed Opera House for weddings, special occasions, or prom. This place was antique and elegant. This venue was "the Venue" to host a good party.

6. Summer evenings were for chilling by the West Salem bridge

The West Salem bridge provided pathways to ride bikes or take a stroll. The bridge crossed the Willamette River which made the whole scenery even more peaceful. Hanging by here was better when it was summer because the sunsets were beautiful and the air was perfect.

7. You went to Broadway Coffeehouse, Ike box, or Archive to meet up with friends and do "homework"

The three most popular coffee shops to hang out in were Broadway Coffeehouse, Ike Box, and Archive. These coffee shops were a good place to be productive and do homework with friends. In reality, though, half of the time was spent doing homework and the other half merely socializing.

8. Nordstrom's bathroom was the place to take mirror selfies

During middle school and partly in high school, girls, in particular, would go to Nordstrom just to take pictures in the spacious bathrooms. I myself was guilty of this.

9. Your elementary school field trips probably included going to The Elsinore theater or Gilbert House

The most common field trips for locals in the Salem area were going to The Elsinore to watch some play or the Gilbert House. I remember especially loving the big and dark slide in the Gilbert House, that was my favorite.

10. Because of its close proximity, you've been to Silver Falls one too many times

Silver Falls is less than a forty minute drive from Salem which makes going there highly accessible. I have literally lost count of how many times I have been there. This place never disappoints me; it's very beautiful.

11. In middle school, Aeropostale in downtown was the cute and trendy place before they closed down

If you've lived in Salem for as long as I have then you know that there used to be an Aeropostale in the Salem Center Mall. This store was at its peak during my tween years and sadly, it closed.

12. If you wanted to save money, you went to the Northern Lights Movie Theater

Northern Lights Cinema was the place to go when you didn't want to spend so much on going to the movies. With its tickets only being a fraction of what you would pay at any other cinema, Northern lights was budget friendly.

13. You only went to the public library when your school library ran out of your assigned book

Although I loved the library, most people only came here when their school libraries ran out of books.

14. Bush park was a good place to run

Bush park was probably the best park in Salem by far. Some people would have birthday parties here, but it was also a good place to run or play tennis.

15. Going to the gym was good, but if you had a Courthouse membership it was even better

Courthouse Fitness was the "upscale" gym in the Salem area. It had pools, a variety of fitness classes, saunas, tanning beds, and tennis courts.