If you’ve lived in a small town, you’re probably well acquainted with the phrase “I can’t wait to get out of here.” It’s parroted by people who feel they have dreams simply too big for their hometowns to accommodate. Small-town America has built a culture around romanticizing a life much bigger than cornfields or logging mills or commercial fishing. For some, small-town living is comfortable, and there isn’t any shame in sticking to your roots. However, that kind of life isn’t for everyone. In a small town, career opportunities are few and far between, there isn’t much to do, and you get to know people too well. That kind of life can be stifling
The people around you feel this way too. Everyone has a cousin or sibling who made the move to a bigger place and bring home awe-inspiring stories. It’s easy to become enamored with the prospect of bustling metropolises and a fresh start. Plans start forming in your head. You want to attend a college with class sizes as big as your entire high school and see buildings so massive they could fit your whole town—with room to spare! However, if you decide to make this big move, there are a few things you should know about living in a city.
1. You'll feel small
Speaking personally, my hometown’s tallest building is maybe only three or four stories high. All the streets are easily navigable, and there aren’t many people on the road. However, in all the visits I’ve made to cities, I felt a little overwhelmed by how big everything is. You might feel the same way, but fear not! There are always people willing to give directions and plenty of apps to help you find your way. Also awe-inspiring is the sheer amount of people you’ll encounter. Sometimes you’ll feel unremarkable and small compared to the masses of people who occupy this space with you. It may make you feel a little insignificant. But your life will seem that much more spectacular when you attend your first college class or open the door to your new apartment. It’s almost like you have a whole part of the city cut out just for you.
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2. You'll meet people with shared interests
Isolation isn’t just about geography. Sometimes people from small towns feel lonesome because they might be interested in things other people around them aren’t. However, at most colleges in urban settings, there are classes and student groups that cater to a wide range of passions and quirky interests. You’ll have people to talk to about your ideas. Suddenly, the variety of people will be a lot less daunting and a little more comforting. You’ll feel like you’re a little less alone in who you really are and what you like.
3. People are less friendly
In a small community, kindness is a necessity. Everyone you encounter in a small town is either friends with, married to, or related to someone you know. Your attitude often reflects strongly on you and all the people in your life. In this kind of community, you try to be your best person and it makes all the difference. However, in a city, kindness is less of a necessity because you could live there for years and never meet the same person twice. Kindness still exists, but sometimes you have to earn it. Don’t be discouraged by someone on the streets being a little cold to you; they have places to be and might not have time. It happens. Just know that people are willing to be nice not because they have to, but because they want to.
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4. You’ll have to plan ahead more
Grocery shopping is probably something you don’t think twice about, especially if you live in a small town. There are virtually no lines and plenty of open parking spaces at your disposal. Aside from stopping to chat with everyone you meet in the aisles, the experience is pretty quick and painless. In a more urban setting, however, you might encounter crowds and long lines to purchase your bread and toothpaste. Perhaps equal in its inconvenience is traffic. If you made plans for lunch, you might be late because of rush-hour traffic or a road closing. You learn to create more time by leaving earlier and changing your routes on the way to your destination. It will take getting used to, especially if you’re used to walking from place to place or taking a short drive across town.
5. Things are much more expensive
Someone who has a romanticized idea of life in a city might overlook the true expenses of city living, even as a student. Your commute to work or school may be significantly costlier than you thought. The loft you imagined overlooking the city also runs at an astonishingly steep price. It will add up to much, much more than it would in your hometown, and that can be daunting. Of course, this all depends on where you decide to go. New York City and Des Moines are two very different cities with very different markets, so do your research on how much the cost of living is before you make your move. But don’t sacrifice your dreams because of money. There are plenty of ways to make your life work, even if it means limiting your morning Starbucks runs or starting a carpool at work.
6. Self-expression is easier
Normalcy is a pretty significant feature of rural life. Certain things are expected and judged. However, cities don’t really work like that. People want to stand out, express themselves, and have their personalities heard. The urban environment is made for self-expression because variety becomes normal. Your distinctions are more easily digested by those you encounter, and you become a little truer to yourself in this way.
Related: Quiz: What’s the Best Kind of College Town for You?
With all of this in mind, don’t be afraid to take a chance on a move to a big city. It will take time to plan, and maybe a little time to get used to, but it’s the chances you don’t take that you eventually regret in the end.
Small town, big city—where are you hoping to go to college? Start exploring your options with our featured colleges by landscape lists.
