Living in a small town is not something that everyone gets to experience, but for those that do they either love it or hate. Having lived in a small Midwestern town of only 600 hundred for the past 18 years of my life I think that I can attest that it's definitely a unique experience.
1. Agriculture
I'm not saying that being surrounded by fields of various agriculture is the prettiest sight, but it does bring extremely fresh food. Often times you can find some of the best sweet corn you've ever had in small towns just by driving down the road! This isn't just limited to sweet corn though, you can get almost any vegetable and various melons and fruits if they're in season. Farmer's markets are a great place to do this! Along with their fresh agriculture they also have homemade caramel corn, candles, and art!
2. The people
Chances are if you grow up in a small town you're going to have the same class until you graduate high school. You'll also have a small class. I only had 67 in my graduating class. This means that I know the people three years ahead of me in school and 3 years behind me; I also know siblings, cousins, parents, grandparents... you get the idea. In a small town it's not hard to make connections with people. While some small towns can be filled with difficult people it doesn't mean befriending them is impossible, it just takes time and patience to gain their trust.
3. Driving
There's nothing quite like driving down a country road. During the fall many of the roads are absolutely gorgeous to drive down. My favorite place to drive is country roads and I take them as often as I can. That being said there is also a lot of wildlife that you can see including deer and raccoons, so while driving always proceed with caution but especially in the country.
4. The freedom to be alone
This is by far the most important and my favorite thing about living in a small town. I have the freedom to be completely alone. After I moved to a bigger city I found that finding a place where I can be completely alone was nearly impossible. I'm the kind of person who enjoys being alone and get super stressed if I can't find the time away from other humans. Back in my small town I have so many options of places I can go to be alone and just relax in nature. It's a breath of fresh air to come back home and just be alone for a while.
5. Family
This isn't just limited to small towns but it's still a reason that living here isn't so bad. I've had generations of my family that have lived and raised their families here. My ancestors are rooted deep within this area and I am proud of living here even though I don't always show it. It's an amazing experience to run into someone in a store and have a conversation with them because they knew(know) someone in your family. It's interesting to hear the stories that they have to tell. Living in a small town comes with a lot of history that many people are willing to share with you if you're just willing to listen.
6. The ability to make lasting connections
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As I said earlier in small towns it's easy to strike up a conversation. This is an advantage to bigger cities, especially when looking for jobs. Chances are high that someone you know will know someone who is hiring which works to your advantage as long as your reputation around town is a good one. Getting hired by family friends is a common occurrence for small towns.
7. You can explore
You can explore everywhere but I've found that there's nothing quite like exploring in the country. I don't know if it's the fact you're less likely to get caught or if it's just that nature in small towns is more prevalent but I love looking around and exploring places around where I live.
All in all, living in small towns isn't the end of the world, as many people make it out to be. There are positives to every situation and sometimes you just have to look a little harder. Living in a small town has made me who I am and while I still may not like it there a ton I do owe that portion of my life a lot for making me who I am.
