Things you only know if you grew up in a small town
‘She’s just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world’
If your town's total population is around 2,500 like mine is, some of these small town quirks will probably seem familiar.
1. You know everybody's first and last name in your graduating class
2. You also know everybody's first and last name in every other graduating class
3. You have to travel 30 minutes for the closest Chipotle, Target, any sort of civilization, etc.
4. Going to college is extreme culture shock
5. There are very few stoplights
6. You're always on the lookout while driving in case you have to stop for a pack of deer
7. Meaning, you don't understand when your out-of-town friends are so bewildered when they see a deer
8. Getting a new student is one of the most exciting things to happen all year
9. You know everybody's business and everybody knows yours
10. Even other parents know your business
11. You can actually use the excuse, "I'm stuck behind a tractor" when you call into work saying you'll be late
12. It's impossible to go to the food store without seeing at least 3 people you know
13. You'll also defend your food store until you die and don't trust people who choose not to shop at it
14. You're bewildered by people who graduated with more than 200 students
15. Your teachers know exactly who your siblings are which can either be a really good or really bad thing
16. The majority of people feel safe leaving their front doors unlocked
17. When people ask where you're from, you tell them that you're "right outside of *insert well-known city here*" even when you're over an hour away
18. If you visit your high school after graduation, every current student immediately knows that you're roaming the halls
19. You definitely went to at least a couple parties in fields
20. Dating someone is low-key incest thanks to the fact that everybody dated the same person at some point
21. You've definitely texted your friend "Want to come get gas with me?" because there's just nothing else to do
22. The police usually have nothing else to do but bust underage parties
23. You pride yourself on that one time that one celebrity was spotted in your town
24. Because there's nothing to do ever, you may have suggested at one point to go cow tipping? But maybe that was only me.
25. You give directions based off landmarks and not road names
26. You stay connected with your high school friends years and years after graduation
27. When a family crisis happens, somebody always comes in clutch with enough food to last you and your family a week
28. You're terrified to use your fake anywhere in a 40 mile radius in fear of seeing someone you know and them telling your mom
29. You're completely perplexed when you come back from college and something has changed
30. You spend way too much time complaining about how there's nothing to do while you're there but then act like it's the greatest thing ever when you're away