Most of the time when I say I am from the Eastern Shore of Maryland people have a blank look on their face as if they have no idea where that is located. And for the most part, people don’t. When someone hears that I am from Maryland they think of DC, Baltimore and cold weather. While yes, most of that is true, I like to think of my small town as the best place in Maryland.

Yes, I will admit living in a small town for most of my life had a lot of downsides. For starters, it felt as if everyone knew everything about every person who lived there. The events that would happen on the weekends would be talked about an hour later, and before you know it all the parents are talking about what you did at that party Friday night, and for the most part, the story wasn’t even true.

Whenever something “big” or scandalous would happen, before you knew it, your whole high school would talk about it for weeks until something new came along. Another downside to living in a small town is how it always felt like there was nothing to do on the weekends. For the most part, all of my friends would go to the same house every weekend with the same people doing the exact same thing that we always did. I came to a point where I was getting bored and realized I didn’t want to be in a small town for my entire life.

Now coming to the half way mark of my college career, I tend to look back on all of the pictures I have from high school, and I do wish I could go back. I miss my best friends and how we would go to our favorite breakfast spot on Saturday and Sundays after one of the “crazy parties." Now I am lucky if I get to see these friends over break because life has gotten too busy.

I miss the small town traditions and the fun times we had over the summer. I miss the town that made me realize I am meant to go out and find who I am as a person. I may never end up living in that small town again, but I would not trade the people, memories, or the place for anything else.