You know you are from a small town when (borrowed from an internet list)...
1. You know the population of your town because it's on the sign as you enter.
2. You can name everyone in your high school graduation class.
3. If you said a swear word, your parents knew about it within an hour.
4. It was cool to date somebody from the neighboring town.
5. You gave directions by people, not street names. (Turn at the Nelson house, go east to Andersons' and it's four houses left of the track field.)
6. You saw at least one friend a week driving his tractor through town.
7. All directions included "the 4 way stop" as a reference.
8. Your teachers mentioned when they had your parents in class.
9. The closest mall, movie theater, and McDonald's was a long drive.
10. You've "parked" with a date behind a barn.
Bonus: You've peed in a cornfield.
1. You know the population of your town because it's on the sign as you enter.
2. You can name everyone in your high school graduation class.
3. If you said a swear word, your parents knew about it within an hour.
4. It was cool to date somebody from the neighboring town.
5. You gave directions by people, not street names. (Turn at the Nelson house, go east to Andersons' and it's four houses left of the track field.)
6. You saw at least one friend a week driving his tractor through town.
7. All directions included "the 4 way stop" as a reference.
8. Your teachers mentioned when they had your parents in class.
9. The closest mall, movie theater, and McDonald's was a long drive.
10. You've "parked" with a date behind a barn.
Bonus: You've peed in a cornfield.
I thought it was high time to include a Top 10 list (Letterman's are sooo overrated) in this blog!
I grew up in a small town. Well, not really even in a town. Technically, on a rural route about 3 miles away from a town with a sign that said population 300. And although that was the name of the town in our address, the town that was 5 minutes away (ok, 7 minutes if you weren't trying to drive really fast to avoid missing your curfew) where I went to school was really my town. Population 1,500 (Saa-lute!). I've been thinking about that little town a lot lately due to my 25 year class reunion coming up. The school I attended (from kindergarten through 12 grade) has a banquet each year for all the alumni. That's right--anyone who ever graduated from the school, which has been there since before my dad graduated there in 1956. That is a small town thing. At the event, the classes celebrating the 'biggies' like 25 and 50 years get special recognition. I can't wait to see some of the people I grew up with and hopefully see some of the teachers that influenced me over the years.
There are some real disadvantages to growing up in a small town, but I don't think any of them played out to my detriment. I do think there were a lot of advantages though, so I made my own list.
I grew up in a small town. Well, not really even in a town. Technically, on a rural route about 3 miles away from a town with a sign that said population 300. And although that was the name of the town in our address, the town that was 5 minutes away (ok, 7 minutes if you weren't trying to drive really fast to avoid missing your curfew) where I went to school was really my town. Population 1,500 (Saa-lute!). I've been thinking about that little town a lot lately due to my 25 year class reunion coming up. The school I attended (from kindergarten through 12 grade) has a banquet each year for all the alumni. That's right--anyone who ever graduated from the school, which has been there since before my dad graduated there in 1956. That is a small town thing. At the event, the classes celebrating the 'biggies' like 25 and 50 years get special recognition. I can't wait to see some of the people I grew up with and hopefully see some of the teachers that influenced me over the years.
There are some real disadvantages to growing up in a small town, but I don't think any of them played out to my detriment. I do think there were a lot of advantages though, so I made my own list.
Top 10 Ways growing up in a small town helps you as a grown up:
1. You know almost everyone and they know you. This gave me a sense of responsibility and accountability. You are more likely to help someone you know by name and family. You are more likely to clean up the trash you leave behind (literally and figuratively) when you know someone who knows your name may be watching.
2. You are more likely to live near nature. Whether it's farmland, woods, or mountain, you are more likely to grow up with more opportunities to get away from people and contemplate and develop an appreciation for creation.
3. You don't have easy access to a mall. With less temptation to spend, you learn to save up for what you really want .
4. You don't have easy access to a movie theater.With less entertainment at your fingertips, you have to learn ways to entertain yourself (the internet has probably changed this and # 3 a bit!).
5. You don't always have a bunch of friends to choose from to hang out with. This makes you have to learn to get along with who you do have to hang out with, even if it's annoying siblings or annoying neighbor kids. You learn to "love the one you're with" and work through the relationship junk.
6. You grow up with mostly the same group of kids through your school years. You see the things that shape them, and how they grow or are stiffled by them. You learn that when people act a certain way, often it has to do with something from their past--often something that was out of their control.
7. You are more likely to eat food you've had a part of growing. This teaches you how much work it is to get the food we take for granted. It teaches you the value of protecting the environment and managing resources. It might also turn you into a vegetarian, as you often pet the food you eventually eat. (Didn't work in my case)
8. You can be big fish in a small pond. Ambitious enough to run for office? You can probably get elected. Want to be on a sports team? Want to be in the school play? Want to work at the local store? They always need more people. This gives you experience and confidence and skills for if you are the small fish in the big pond one day.
9. You learn that you shouldn't think more highly of yourself than you ought to. Most small town people just won't put up with people that are too big for their britches. They won't tolerate people that look down on others for being different, poor, hard-working, or just 'small-town'. They know that everyone has to start somewhere and can choose to make something of themselves or squander what God has given them.
10. You learn how to pee outside. Even if you're a girl. Enough said.
1. You know almost everyone and they know you. This gave me a sense of responsibility and accountability. You are more likely to help someone you know by name and family. You are more likely to clean up the trash you leave behind (literally and figuratively) when you know someone who knows your name may be watching.
2. You are more likely to live near nature. Whether it's farmland, woods, or mountain, you are more likely to grow up with more opportunities to get away from people and contemplate and develop an appreciation for creation.
3. You don't have easy access to a mall. With less temptation to spend, you learn to save up for what you really want .
4. You don't have easy access to a movie theater.With less entertainment at your fingertips, you have to learn ways to entertain yourself (the internet has probably changed this and # 3 a bit!).
5. You don't always have a bunch of friends to choose from to hang out with. This makes you have to learn to get along with who you do have to hang out with, even if it's annoying siblings or annoying neighbor kids. You learn to "love the one you're with" and work through the relationship junk.
6. You grow up with mostly the same group of kids through your school years. You see the things that shape them, and how they grow or are stiffled by them. You learn that when people act a certain way, often it has to do with something from their past--often something that was out of their control.
7. You are more likely to eat food you've had a part of growing. This teaches you how much work it is to get the food we take for granted. It teaches you the value of protecting the environment and managing resources. It might also turn you into a vegetarian, as you often pet the food you eventually eat. (Didn't work in my case)
8. You can be big fish in a small pond. Ambitious enough to run for office? You can probably get elected. Want to be on a sports team? Want to be in the school play? Want to work at the local store? They always need more people. This gives you experience and confidence and skills for if you are the small fish in the big pond one day.
9. You learn that you shouldn't think more highly of yourself than you ought to. Most small town people just won't put up with people that are too big for their britches. They won't tolerate people that look down on others for being different, poor, hard-working, or just 'small-town'. They know that everyone has to start somewhere and can choose to make something of themselves or squander what God has given them.
10. You learn how to pee outside. Even if you're a girl. Enough said.
Disagree? Have any of your own? Comments--give me comments!
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