I understand.

I understand what it feels like to be sheltered and disconnected, and how every day you itch to leave this tiny place. I know what it feels like driving through the same streets day after day, repeating a cyclical life. Everything is comfortable, familiar. I understand your longing for adventure and new experiences. I know you dream of city lights illuminating the night sky, towering skyscrapers, and an endless stream of people. I understand because I've been there.

But you don't realize what you'll be leaving behind.

Entering into my freshman year of college, there were more people in my incoming class than in my entire hometown. I was finally in the "big city" of Minneapolis, and I had the world at my fingertips. It wasn't until this exposure when I realized how much small-town values and qualities had been instilled within me. I never realized the aspects of life I would miss in the transition into a new environment.

In a small town, it's quiet -- one of the things I miss most. I've spent days wandering the city in search of the perfect peaceful spot, but I'm convinced it doesn't exist. The air is full of polluted noise. There is no place to escape from the dull roar of cars, construction, or people, no matter where you go. But in the country, it's different. It may not always be dead-silent, but the noise occupying the silence is more comforting. The occasional car passing by on the street or the sound of the neighbor's dog are familiar, and many find comfort in the familiar.

In a small town, it's a community. Everybody knows everybody growing up in a small town. Working at the local restaurant as a waitress, the question I received most often was, "so who are your (parents, grandparents)?" I was connected to my family name and took pride in that. Not only was the sense of connection astonishing, but when disaster struck, the entire community provided a helping hand. Whether a storm blocking the way of the hiking trail in town, or the death of a beloved faculty member in the district, terrible events were felt by everyone, and you knew you were never alone in your fight.

In a small town, people understand the value of hard work, and being appreciative of the little things. Both my grandparents and my parents were farmers, and hearing their stories makes me believe it's one of the most difficult jobs out there. Not only were the hours long, but it's hard, intense manual labor daily. Farmers build their "business" from the ground up, caring for thousands of different animals and crops every day in order to provide food for their family and community. My grandparents and parents worked hard for absolutely everything they owned, and they may not have the fanciest house or the best electronics, but they made the best of whatever they did have. They made it their home, and that was enough.

In a small town, I was taught life values and respectful morals I might not have received otherwise. I was taught the importance of God in a family and in a household. The heart of the town rested within the churches, and everybody knew the importance of Sunday mass. I was taught the importance of modesty and appreciating the little things. You likely didn't have everything growing up, but you learned to appreciate the things you did. There are likely little things along the way you didn't think were important back then, but things you miss now: driving on gravel roads late at night with your best friends, thinking Applebee's was the hot place to be on Friday nights, knowing every business in downtown because it was only a few blocks, among countless others.

Before, I never understood why people kept coming back. Many of the new teachers at my high school were past students who went to college and came back. I never understood it until now. There's a feeling of safety and comfort you can't exactly replicate elsewhere. After leaving, I realized I really did grow-up in the best place possible. Not only did it set me up for a successful future academically, but building a strong character was also important. For all of those returning, I think they also realized the importance of that small-town life in building a person, and for their future children, they wouldn't want them to be raised any other way.

So to the teenager excited to escape their small town in college, you'll learn to appreciate the way in which you were raised.

Because even though it's a small town, it will always be home.