Hometown Stigma

While growing up many kids share their dreams of where they want to go to college, move to, or where they want to explore the world. Some of the dreams are completely across the country, or even all the way around the world. If you're anything like me, your hometown doesn't get enough credit.

The idea of moving away isn't only amongst younger kids who are dreaming big, parents and family also have a large influence on the idea. For me, I chose a college five minutes away from where I live. Many people question my decision, stating how I could go anywhere in the country. The judgment isn't only from my peers, but also from their parents.

I chose to go to my college for various reasons. Most of the reasons are none of anyone's business except for my own, and my parents' of course. But here's the thing, everything I know is in this hometown. I'm not scared to move away and be away from my family, job, pets, comfort, and everything I've ever known. I could pack up and move to any one of the colleges I was accepted to that are hundreds of miles away. But do I want to? No.

Of course my hometown has its issues, but every single town, city, village,and etc. I can genuinely tell you that I enjoy the time that I spend around my hometown. College is so much more than just partying and finding all of your best friends. Others move away to learn who they are as a person, run away from problems, find a place that they love. If I'm able to do all of these things while being able to be home with my family, so be it. Who cares if I don't want to move across the country? This is where I'm happy. This is what I love. If you can't understand that, then you don't know me. What the hell do you care? You aren't paying for it anyway.