I grew up in a really small town with a population of a little under 2,000 people. This is the town that my parents grew up in as well. Not much has changed since my parents were in school, including the teachers. My 6th grade teacher was also my dad's 4th grade teacher. Crazy right? The people my parents grew up with are now my peers parents. As you can see, not many people leave. My hometown is a safe, small town with tons of people who would do anything for you so it's not a bad thing to stay, but here's why it's good to leave.
Coming to college my freshman year was the first new school I had ever been to and it was four hours from home. I graduated high school with the same people I started Kindergarten with so this was a bit of a shock. A good kind of shock. Being so far away I got to experience things a little differently than I was used to. I've made friends from all areas of the state and even gone home with most of them. This is always fun for me because I'm getting to see parts of Texas that I would never have had a reason to see before.
Leaving my hometown and being on my own has made me more independent and I thank God for that all the time. I'm too far away to go home for a dentist visit, or a doctor visit or even to get my hair done. I have had to figure out which dentist is the best one for me, which doctor is going to help me and which hair stylist I can trust (this is the hardest one). I give most of the credit to my parents for how they raised me. I am now able to make my own decisions and figure out things on my own instead of having my parents tell me what to do or who to go to.
I've learned to appreciate where I came from. I came from a town where everybody knows everybody. Where everyone is willing to help you out when you need it. Where everyone asks about your family when they see you. This is the feeling of "home" and nothing compares to it. At college, you may know a lot of people, but they don't know where you come from or how you were raised. Some people may not have your best interest at heart like the people you were raised with. I love being away and getting to make my own mistakes, learn from them, and experiencing all that life has to offer, but it's always nice to go home.
