I was raised my entire life in the heart of San Francisco: one of the largest, most culturally rich metropolises in the world. For as long as I can remember, my sense of home has been among skyscrapers. I feel right at home in even the largest of cities, so deciding to come to a small one for college has definitely been an adjustment. There are certain things that I commonly experience that are vastly different from the way I was raised.

1. Charleston is not a city

We need to set the record straight: Charleston is a large town. Basically every day, I hear my classmates say “I love living in a city.” Or, they share articles on Facebook written by someone ambiguously claiming that Charleston is the best city in the world. While it might fit the government standards of a city, Charleston in no way, even in size alone, compares to a city like San Francisco, New York or London. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Charleston. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful, incredible place. It just isn’t a city.

2. Anonymity is a constant struggle

One of my favorite parts about going home is being able to walk down the street and not know a single person I see. When I’m in my college town, it’s difficult to walk a single block without running into someone I know. While this is usually nice, there are some days where I just don’t want to talk to people or see anyone I know. In a city, everyone minds their own business, which is sometimes really nice.

3. Chatty Uber drivers

Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the friendliness of people I meet driving for Uber. That doesn’t mean I don’t breathe a sigh of relief when I take an Uber at home and don’t have to tell my entire life’s story before I get to my destination. If I had a dollar for every driver in the south that asked me, “How’d you get all the way to Charleston?” I could probably pay my tuition.

4. Going to the same places all the time

I’ll admit it, Charleston is an amazing place to try new things. There are constantly new, amazing restaurants opening and cool events going on. But as a college student, sometimes going to the same three bars and eating at the same cafe every day gets a little old.

5. Tourists are everywhere

In San Francisco, there are obviously tons of tourists, especially in the summer. However, they usually stick to tourist traps like Fisherman’s Wharf and any native knows to avoid that place like the plague. In Charleston, as soon as the weather gets warm, they swarm like mosquitos. The amount of road rage I get trying to walk down the street behind a group of tourists is concerning. Also, no one here knows how to walk at a normal pace and they comment on it when you try to pass them to actually get where you’re going.

6. People think you’re rude

This is similar to number three, but being raised in a big city, I simply grew up in a different social culture. Many people down south think “Yankees” are just stuck-up people who don’t care about anyone else. This isn’t true! I just didn’t grow up in an environment where I stop and talk to everyone I see.

Despite these minor struggles I experience having moved to a small town, there are so many things I love about Charleston. It’s a beautiful place with much to experience, and I’m glad I’ve gotten the opportunity to learn so much from it.