Welcome to small-town America. I’d love to show you around. We could go shopping at the Dollar General. Or, if you’re hungry, we can head to the gas station. I heard they’re selling fried chicken now. The restaurant is out of business. It’s hard to keep it going when it’s not near the highway. Maybe later we could bother my high school teachers. I’d like to see if our senior prank is still talked about. It was good to grow up here. I’ll tell you more about it if you’re interested.
Knowing Everyone
Yes, you really know everyone, and they know you, too. It’s hard not to when there are fewer than 1,000 people in town. A little less than half of my graduating class had been here since kindergarten. Sure, they might remember my awkward middle school phase, but no one else does. People forget, just like they do in big cities. It may take a little longer in a small town, but what’s nice is that it’s easier to be an important person while you’re here. All you have to do is run for mayor, and you’ll be the talk of the town. Sometimes it’s nice to be a big fish in a small pond. There are certainly downsides, but the upsides more than make up for them.Â
Doing Everything
Volleyball. Basketball. Track. Softball. Scholars Bowl. Band. Choir. FBLA. Student Council. Forensics. Mathletes. These are all things I got to try because I went to school in a small town. Was I good at all of them? No. Especially not the sports. But I got to do them and actually play in games, compete at state, and perform in concerts. I’ve heard it said that there are more opportunities in bigger towns, but that doesn’t seem accurate to me. I feel like I had the same, if not more experiences than my peers from big cities. I may not have been able to take AP classes, but I was able to take community college classes. Don’t get me wrong, the burnout was real, but involvement was good for me overall.
Going Everywhere
In grade school, we would ride our bikes to the park. In middle school, we traveled to other schools for away games and explored the school during lock-ins. Once we turned fourteen and started driving, we got jobs. There were only a few places to get a job in town, so if you were lucky enough to have a car, you found work elsewhere. Probably at the Sonic or Subway in the next town over. You don’t have everything you need in town, but the nearest city does. If you want to go out to eat or to see a movie in the city, you’ll have to drive for an hour, but at least you won’t be sitting in traffic. Living in the city may be more convenient, but there’s something to be said about making do with less.
Leaving
Growing up here was good for me. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it’s not as bad as some make it out to be. Will I ever live here again? Probably not, but I’ll come back to visit. Does this mean that small-town America is shrinking? Perhaps, but that’s a topic for another day. I hope you enjoyed this tour and gained a better understanding of what it’s like to grow up in a small town. If you do end up living in a small town, remember to be a good neighbor, or you might end up on the Informer!