Growing up in a small town of less than 3,000 people taught me a lot in the eighteen years I lived there. It taught me the basic things like how to always say “please and thank you,” the importance of being involved and how to create relationships with almost every person I meet. I appreciate this about you. I look at how I grew up and compare it to some of my friends that grew up in big cities and I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities I had to be involved with the community. Along with teaching me all the basics, you also taught me a lot about myself.

College was my chance to get away. I could go anywhere and start a new life for myself. One of the reasons why I love college so much is because I had to start completely fresh. I didn’t know anybody and had to open up completely and build new relationships with the people I will spend the next four years of my life with. I had the opportunity to go to a new school with a clean slate. I love and will always cherish the relationships I made throughout my high school years, but it was time for a change and boy am I glad I made this decision.

Somehow, I grew up in a small farm town and turned into a city girl. I love everything about the city -- the busyness of the streets, the unending amounts of things to do and the countless job opportunities. That is why I choose to stay where I am. You just don’t have any of that back home. That works for some people, but not for me.

For the people who choose to stay, great! That is how a little town survives. It survives off people who love the farm town and love knowing all the people that have been there their whole lives- the people who choose to never leave. Although this is not the lifestyle I choose to live, I understand that this is the only lifestyle for some people. I appreciate these people because I always want to have a place to come home to. My favorite thing about coming home is driving passed all my old “stomping grounds.” These are the places where I met some of my life-long best friends, the place where I played my first softball game and even where I had my first date. These are the places that have shaped who I am today.

So, thank you. Thank you for teaching me all the important aspects of life. I appreciate the person you have shaped me to be and the relationships I have built there. But, I’m never coming back. Of course I’ll come back to visit and stay a couple of days, but I won’t have a new life there. Thank you for teaching me to take chances and be bold. I wouldn’t be sitting in Europe writing this if you haven’t.