Growing up in a small town means something different to everyone. Some people find it to be surreal while others can’t wait to get out. No matter where we go, the little town we grew up in will always be home. No matter what we do or who we meet we know that our safety and happiness lies within our small community that is always there to welcome us back with open arms. Being from a small town is one of the greatest experiences, it enables you to do and learn so much. Not every little town is the same just like not all large cities are the same. Each are unique and give us a foundation that make us who we are. I'm proud to have grown up in a small town and you should be too, there's definitely nothing else like it.

"There are things about growing up in a small town that you can't necessarily quantify"

Here are some ideas that I’m sure you can relate to if you grew up in a small town.

1. People ask you where you’re from, you say the nearest big city rather than where you’re actually from.
2. Everyone knows your name
3. You know everyone in your graduating class
4. Word travels fast, people know your business before you even get down the road
5. Your teachers probably refer to you as or compare you to your older siblings
6. The idea of a town outing is a friday night football game or a night at the race track
7. The whole town has the ability to come together as one in the event of a disaster
8. There is a close-knit support system throughout the community
9. Traffic isn't the biggest issue that the town faces
10. Roundabouts get put in the middle of the town and nobody knows how to drive through them
11. You get a speeding ticket and your parents know about it before you get home
12. You get to know everything about the little town and it doesn’t take a long time
13. You give directions based off the town center clock or popular areas
14. You can name all of the police or fire department
15. Crime rates are less significant as opposed to larger areas
16. The town is like a family
17. You learned how to work from a very young age
18. You know everybody all throughout the town and can easily spot when people don't belong
19. The town distinguishes between old town and new town
20. You're still considered an outsider of the town even after having lived there for 30 years
21. The people look forward to the annual festivals and events turning towards a sense of tradition and pride
22. The source of entertainment consists of pie eating contests and a couple of annual parades
23. It takes less than 10 minutes to drive through the entire town, blink and you'll miss it