I grew up in a small town my entire life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Obviously, it had its ups and downs, but the high points outweighed the low. The close community connection isn't something you can find just anywhere. If you're from a small town, you can definitely relate to every single one of these.
1. No one knows exactly where you’re from.
“Oh, you mean the state?” No, my hometown is actually named after a state. More often than not, I end up explaining to them how far I am from the closest popular city.
2. No matter where you go in town, you will run into someone you know.
Don’t think you’re going to go unnoticed with the clothes you wore to bed and your hair in a bun when you need to make a quick run to the store.
3. Everyone knows everyone.
Or knows someone that knows everyone. In school, you know all of your classmates on a personal level. You know who they are dating, who their parents are and all the extracurricular activities they are involved in.
4. That being said, secrets do not stay secrets long.
Word spreads like wildfire in small towns. If you plan on telling someone something you don’t want everyone to know, you better make sure you choose wisely. Oh, and don’t think you’ll get away with going out on the weekends because someone will see you and they will tell your parents.
5. When you’re the “new kid,” you’re “the new kid” for at least the entire school year.
Sometimes even the next year. And everyone knows your name before the day is even over. It’s actually a pretty exciting day when a new kid comes to the school.
6. You hate lines because you’ve never had to deal with them before.
Grocery lines, traffic, drive thrus, etc. Those all become a hassle when you’re not used to waiting.
7. Everyone knows how your sports team is doing.
Often, your face ends up on the front page in the sports section. Plus, there’s always a huge support system. If you’re lucky enough to make it far in postseason, the entire town will shut down just so that everyone can go out and cheer their team on.
8. You get really excited when you go to the big town next to you.
Walmart, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell, Dunkin’ Donuts— all the places many take for granted are rarities for you. When you only have two gas stations and a Subway in your tiny town, these places are like gold! Also, finding a summer job can be kind of tricky unless you want to drive 30 minutes to the closest town every day.
9. You’re never alone.
In times of crisis, you have a bigger support system than you could ever imagine. It is not uncommon to see flyers for fundraisers hanging on all the gas station bulletins. And you can bet that everyone in the town that’s available will be there. If you’re dealing with the loss of a loved one or just got out of the hospital, there will be breakfast, lunch and dinner sitting on your doorstep every day until you’ve recovered.
