I've lived in a small town in Maryland all my life. Whenever anyone asks where I'm from, they don't believe me when I reply "Hollywood, Maryland." It's a real place, people. I promise. To be exact, it's a small town in what feels like the even smaller St. Mary's County. In my hometown, people treat one another as family — mostly because almost everyone is somehow related whether they know it or not. Everyone knows everyone's business, and the town's biggest event is the county fair, but this place is and always will be my home.
In high school, when I would picture my future, I always saw a life very different from the world in which I lived. I wanted a fast-paced lifestyle full of new faces and experiences. When I received my acceptance letter to Towson University in the mail, I knew that, come fall, my life would change forever and the life I had always pictured would soon become my reality.
As my countdown to freshman move-in day drew closer, I thought I had a crystal-clear picture of what living in the city would be like. I was restless, with all the confidence in the world, to move out and gain my own experiences in an exciting new place. Within five minutes of my parents moving me in and bidding me farewell until Thanksgiving, I quickly learned that I wasn't just living in another city — I was in another world.
Adjusting to any new place can be difficult and scary at times. Whether it's going away to college, moving as a military family when your parents are reassigned or simply going off to find a place that feels most like home, there is always an adjustment period to any new environment. Looking back on my not-so-smooth adjustment to city life, here are five things about living in the city (Towson, specifically) that I wish I'd known prior to leaving my Southern Maryland nest.
Taxis are not just those cars you see in the movies where you whistle and jump in.
I'd never been in a taxi prior to moving to Towson, nor did I know how to track them down to get a ride. I tried the whistling thing and flailing my arms like an idiot to get the attention of the cab drivers, but nothing really seemed to work. Turns out the Cab service that runs in Towson is one where you call and arrange for a pick-up. So, that was kind of my bad.
You thought driving behind a tractor was annoying? Try city traffic at every hour of the day.
Another thing I truly underestimated was the bumper-to-bumper of the city and how your destination might be five minutes away, but you shouldn't expect to be there anywhere less than 30 minutes. After three years of living in Towson, I still haven't quite mastered that timing when going to class, the movies, dinner plans, etc.
You can't park your car anywhere you please.
Back at home, parking really is never an issue and can often times get rather creative. People park in ditches, in the middle of yard, some on sidewalks (that's a bit extreme if you ask me), and there never seems to be an issue. When parking in the city, you have to triple-check you're allowed to park in that area, pay for parking and, almost always, parallel park (something I never thought I'd have to do after my driver's test) into spots or it will result in a hefty tow fine.
No one really knows who you are.
Which can be both a good and bad thing. Living in a new place gives you the opportunity to start over with a clean slate, be anyone you want to be and discover an unknown freedom of being away from home. With that freedom, however, comes responsibility to take care of yourself. When you stay in a new area, people don't know you or your story like your family and friends back at home. No one is necessarily looking out for you, so it's important to be able to watch your own back.
You'll miss the simplicity of home more than you originally thought you would.
This was the case for me, at least. While the fast pace of city life is exciting and experiencing the freedom to do what you want without everyone around you knowing is great, I missed the calming sense that came with being home because there's nothing in the world like it.
Over the years, I have fully adjusted to life in the city and will never regret my decision of leaving my rural life for a more urban experience. Towson has become my home away from home, just as most colleges are for students. But I return home each winter and summer break with a deeper appreciation for where I'm from and the people who helped me grow into the person I am today. I will always believe that good things come from having the bravery of embracing change, but that it's vital to go about the changes in your life remembering where you came from.
