When I was younger, I could not wait to get out of the small town I grew up in. I was going to go to a huge college the whole way across the country and then move away to New York City and live where no one knew me. Yet, here I am going to college in a town as equally as small as the one I grew up in, and instead of being across the country, I am right down the road. The older I get, the more I appreciate living in a small town, realizing the importance of the people and energy with which you surround yourself. Here are a few perks of being from a small town:
Everyone is very close.
This is such a great benefit during good and bad times. There is always someone to share memories with, and there is always someone to call on in times of need. Everyone goes through the loss of a community member, and welcomes a new one together. It is great to always have people you know you can count on in any situation.
Community Activities.
In small towns, there are a lot of community activities. Everyone attends baseball games in the park and sporting events at the high school to show support of the community's team. Aside from the local sporting events, summer fairs, parades, fall festivals, farmer's markets, winter concerts, and spring marathons through the town square also bring the community together in the same place to share a memory.
United Decisions.
Decisions in small towns are often made by the town as a whole, not just by the leaders of the town. They care about what the citizens have to say and make decisions in their best interest. Since it is such a small town, many businesses are catered to needs rather than income, which is awesome.
College.
Being from a small town can either inspire you to go to college in a big city or make you want to stay in the security of a small town, either way it makes you appreciate home. People who go away to a big, busy area always love returning to the small town they grew up in. People who grew up in a small town also like to continue that living through college where they can meet new people with the same kind of relationships and small town secrets. Either way, small towns make home sweet home a little sweeter.
Old and young are legends.
Small towns have the elderly people that are well known as well as the kids that everyone knows. If your grandparents grew up in the same small town, chances are they know every family in the town in one way or another, and they love making connections of people in our generation to the people they grew up with. I run errands for elderly people, and it is really interesting to hear the connections they have with my relatives. It is cool to hear the old stories of how the town used to be and which families owned what and see how the town has grown with the people in it.
Intimate Relationships.
You are a name, not a number, when you live in a small town. There’s nothing like seeing people when you’re at the grocery store that you can catch up with for a few minutes. Rather than being in a busy town with all the hustle and bustle, small towns seem to take life a little slower. People take time to show genuine concern when they ask how you’re doing, and you have some kind of connection everywhere you go. “Oh you're so-an-so’s granddaughter, I used to work with her!” Conversations brew, and coupons are handed out.
The small-town feel.
From the churches and coffee shops, to the boutiques and grocery store, small towns have a certain vibe to them that is irresistible. Even though people know all of your business, it is very comforting to know people care. Being from a small town has contributed greatly to who I am as a person, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
