Small town? Big city? Or somewhere in between?

[goddess_nemesis]

Where did you grow up? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

Where do you live now? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

What are the pros and cons about where you grew up? What are the pros and cons about where you live now?

How is where you live now similar and/or different from where you grew up? Or do you still live in the same place where you grew up?

You don't have to name the place where you grew up or where you live. I'm just curious about the type of place where you lived or are living now.

 

[chicago]

Where did you grow up? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

Where do you live now? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

What are the pros and cons about where you grew up? What are the pros and cons about where you live now?

How is where you live now similar and/or different from where you grew up? Or do you still live in the same place where you grew up?

I grew up in a big city and when I was 9 I moved to a small town just outside the city. I went from a place with the population of 3,000,000 to a town of 10,000 and it was pretty weird. Everyone knew everyone and not just knew them but like knew all about them and their family. There were pretty much no minorities. Most people were upper middle class, narrow-minded, and sheltered. I couldn't wait to move.

One thing I liked about living in a small town was the same thing that drove me crazy. Everyone knows everyone. It's nice to have a community that cares about you, but sometimes I really don't want to run into like 10 people I know everytime I go somewhere. There's less privacy, basically, but more people to help you when you need it and it's easier to make friends. The cons are that people don't seem as exposed to certain things that are seen as normal in the city and thus they are easily shocked and have different views that can be frustrating, but meh. Also, it always seemed to be about the image, the veneer. Make it look like you have the perfect house, car, family, 2.5 kids, dog, and seemingly no problems. The gossip was pretty unbearable. Everyone knew everyone so everyone talked shit about everyone. That was like all people did there. Everyone was the same. There was no individuality. If you didn't 'fit in' something was wrong with you. Oh, and I hated that there was never anything to do. I mean, the coolest things we had was like the library and a pool.

Suburbs always makes me think of the theme song for 'Weeds'

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky.
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All went to the university,
Where they were put in boxes
And they came out all the same,
And there's doctors and lawyers,
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky
And they all look just the same.

Now, I live in the city. I don't even know what my neighbors look like, let alone their names. I can come and go without running into anyone. The feeling of being invisible can be good and bad. Most of the time I have a lot on my mind so it's cool to have more time to myself, but I get really lonely sometimes. On the other hand, there's always something to do, somewhere to go, and I've met a lot of cool people through school and work that I probably wouldn't have if I never left the little village.

 

[Tickleslave83]

I grew up in the suburbs and am still in the suburbs. I think it's the best place for me. I don't like the noise and commotion of the city or the inconveience of living in a rural area. This is a happy medium.

 

[TropicThunder]

I was born and raised in a small town of about 6,000 people. Everyone knew everyone, and everyone knew I was the girl with the oddball grandpa. I grew up around the same kids, knew their siblings, could identify their parents at school functions.

When I was 17, I moved to a small town in rural Canada, with a population of about 3,000 in the wintertime. In the summer time, it went as high as 40,000 because it was a town that thrived on tourism.

Now I'm 22, and I moved to a big city on the other side of the country. It seems to be going pretty well. It's definitely a different atmosphere.

All three were really different, and I both loved and hated them at different times for different reasons. I can't really say which one is the best, they both have pros and cons.

 

[porcelaindoll2]

Where did you grow up? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?
I grew up in the boondocks.

Where do you live now? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?
My college is in a small city.

What are the pros and cons about where you grew up? What are the pros and cons about where you live now?
Pros:Well there is no air pollution, it is safe, and nice to walk around at night because you can see every star.
Cons: Have to drive an hour to get to a city! Gas money!

How is where you live now similar and/or different from where you grew up? Or do you still live in the same place where you grew up?
OMG I don't have to dirve an hour to get to a shopping mall or thirty minutes to get to Walmart! I can walk to a Kmart and Walgreens!

Here are some pics of where I grew up. I am next to Cows!

 

[McNoodle]

Where did you grow up? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

I grew up in a very small, very remote city

Where do you live now? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

Now I live in a small city bordering a large city.

What are the pros and cons about where you grew up? What are the pros and cons about where you live now?

Pros of having grown up where I did was it was a great place for outdoor activities and a fairly close knit community.

Cons of where I grew up were it was unbelievably cold in winter (-40 quite often in Dec, Jan, Feb) the summers were super short and the mosquitoes were unbearable. Also there was a lot of boredom and we lived 7 1/2 hours from the nearest major city.

How is where you live now similar and/or different from where you grew up? Or do you still live in the same place where you grew up?

The similarities between where I am now and were I grew up are slim to none. Population is close to the same and they both have houses.

The differences are immense. It snows maybe 3-4 times a year here and lasts for a couple days (where I grew up I'd seen it snow every month of the year and last at least 7 months). The weather here is quite level and mild. I am close to the ocean now instead of being landlocked. The old city seemed to have a much more pronounced sense of community.

Ultimately I don't have any regrets and am extremely happy with the opportunities my current location provides me. I have to admit however if not for family still residing there I would never return to my hometown.

 

[Bugman]

Where did you grow up? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

I grew up in a small Kansas town. It is not small now and has not been for many years.

Where do you live now? In a small town? A big city? Or some place that's in between?

I suppose Austin would qualify as a big city. I know it has gotten way too big for my tastes.

What are the pros and cons about where you grew up? What are the pros and cons about where you live now?

My hometown has changed so much, its like another planet when I visit. Looking back, it was all in all not a bad place to be a kid. As I began to get older I hated it.

Pros about Austin: Always something going on. Lots of great places to eat. The Highland Lakes and The Hill Country an hour or so away. Numerous historical sites within a 200 mile radius.

Cons: Like any large city, traffic! A pretty high crime rate. Crumbling infrastructure. Its an expensive place to live. Did I mention traffic?

How is where you live now similar and/or different from where you grew up? Or do you still live in the same place where you grew up?

The places and times are so very different, I can't really make any valid comparisons.

You don't have to name the place where you grew up or where you live. I'm just curious about the type of place where you lived or are living now.

 

[goddess_nemesis]

Nice responses.

As for me, I grew up and still live near a small town that has about 1300 people. The nearest Walmart or movie theater is about 40 minutes away. Like Annie said, small towns are notorious for being a place where everyone knows each other and gossip reigns. My grandma can tell you who's related to who and how.

I've never lived in a big city, but I have relatives who do and have visited them often. I honestly can't imagine living in a big city. I prefer the peacefulness of a small town. It is an inconvenience because of the distance it is from a bigger city and lack of things to do, but the quiet and slowness and peacefulness is worth it.

 

[Bugman]

Nice responses.

As for me, I grew up and still live near a small town that has about 3000 people. The nearest Walmart or movie theater is about 40 minutes away. Like Annie said, small towns are notorious for being a place where everyone knows each other and gossip reigns. My grandma can tell you who's related to who and how.

I've never lived in a big city, but I have relatives who do and have visited them often. I honestly can't imagine living in a big city. I prefer the peacefulness of a small town. It is an inconvenience because of the distance it is from a bigger city and lack of things to do, but the quiet and slowness and peacefulness is worth it.

3,000 is a bit small for me, but I'd love to move out of Austin proper. For about 2 years before returning to Texas I lived in Leavenworth Ks. I really liked it. Around 45,000 people, and most of what I needed could be found there. Leavenworth is the oldest city in Kansas, established in 1836. I was less then a mile from historic Fort Leavenworth and the infamous federal penitentiary. About 6 blocks away was a building that predated the Civil War, still in use. Lots of beautifully restored Victorian era mansions, one of which was rumored to have been the highest class brothel in town for many years.

 

[goddess_nemesis]

3,000 is a bit small for me, but I'd love to move out of Austin proper. For about 2 years before returning to Texas I lived in Leavenworth Ks. I really liked it. Around 45,000 people, and most of what I needed could be found there. Leavenworth is the oldest city in Kansas, established in 1836. I was less then a mile from historic Fort Leavenworth and the infamous federal penitentiary. About 6 blocks away was a building that predated the Civil War, still in use. Lots of beautifully restored Victorian era mansions, one of which was rumored to have been the highest class brothel in town for many years.

Stupid me, I typed the wrong number. The population is about 1300, significantly smaller than 3000.

I wouldn't mind living in a town that was larger at least large enough for a fast food restaurant or two and a movie theater.

But a town with even 45,000 people seem quite large to me. The nearest place that has a Walmart has about 17,000 and that seems large to me. Anything bigger than that and you start dealing with heavy traffic, crowdedness.

 

[Bugman]

Anything bigger than that and you start dealing with heavy traffic, crowdedness.

Naw, not really. We had a morning and evening "rush hour" on 4th Street (Kansas 7) and Metropolitan Ave. (Kansas 20) but that was it, and it didn't amount to much. Even at Walmart or Price Chopper (a big grocery store chain) I seldom stood in a check out line for more then 10 minutes, even on weekends. I guess its a matter of perspective.

 

[milagros317]

I was born in a big city (New York City), grew up in a town of about 17,000 nearby in New Jersey, and now live back in NYC. I like it here.

 

[He-Man]

I don't like the noise and commotion of the city or the inconveience of living in a rural area. This is a happy medium.

Same here. Well, kinda. I lived in a city, but only a year or two when I was a little kid. Grew up mostly in the suburbs and rural areas. I hated the rural areas the most since they were so BORING. (hell, in some rural areas I lived in, there wasn't even any good place to ride my bike. That sucked)

 

[rosewood]

I grew up in a small town, which was actually amazing. It wasn't suburbia, it was a very quirky little place in the middle of nowhere, full of minor artists and former hippies. Very pleasant to grow up in, and very unusual. I'd be happy to go back sometime, but it's good to get away. Right now, I live in a city for schooling, but I'd like to go back to the country. Can't stand the noise, and I need my trees I don't understand the thing with a lot of people my age (very young adults) and wanting to live in the city.

 

[herts tickler]

born in the grimey ghetts of Bow, east london. lived there for a couple of years and then moved to the outskirts of north london. still a very busy place though. when i get back from travelling im moving back into the center though. Im a propper city boy and i get a nose bleed if i live too far from LDN, too many parties to be missed...

 

[Knox The Hatter]

I grew up in New York. Enough said

I now live in an oversized suburb of 90,000, large enough, that, if it was in the midwest, it would have its own double-A baseball team. It does, I figure, have more pizza and sub shops than the entire stretch of real estate on the other side of the Mississippi River. Says a lot about this place.

 

[WorkInProgress]

Born in Brooklyn, grew up in small-town northern New Hampshire, and now I call New York City my home even when living in one of these other cities like Cincinnati or Baltimore.

And it's anybody's guess where I'll be living this time next year, but I'm very much a city person. I belong in either New York or Boston.

 

[ShadowKat]

Here's an expanded version of what I posted earlier. If you didn't see it the first time, 'sokay you didn't miss much.
Where I grew up was very country when I first moved there with my parents, and over the years we watched subdivisions pop up all over the place to where the country I remembered faded pretty fast.
Where I live now is kind of like where I grew up 35 years ago. It's still very country, even with a couple of subdivisions there's still a lot of farmland. And my back yard is nothing but trees and field. So the only real difference between where I grew up and where I live now is where I am now is 10 minutes away from anything I like to do. You know; bookstore, movie theater, cigar shop, ...oh yeah and TACO BELL! So in reality, now that think about it, there's NOT much difference between the two, except my town is kind of an island stronghold against the urban sprawl appearing over the horizon.

 

[Jagermeistered]

Native of Las Vegas, NV...

I'm still living here, and still enjoying myself - I've met people from all around the country, and from around the world; thus, the city stays multi-cultural.

 

[DirtySecret]

I grew up in a small town, my house was on a dirt road with corn on the other side. Over about 15 years the population increased a ton due to a new highway being put in plus a lot of commercialization and raised our current population to about 30,000.
I still live in the same house, and all around our tiny one story ranch there are multi-million dollar homes with indoor pools and tennis courts. Go figure. When I'm away at college the population of that town is about 18,000 from August till early may, and then about 4,000 during the summer when all the students leave haha. That town is pretty big compared to the area around it, which contains nothing but corn fields and farms. But I do miss the shopping malls and the awesome assortment of restaurants that the suburbs bring. After college, I'd like to live in the city to experience it.

 

[Jagermeistered]

I grew up in a small town, my house was on a dirt road with corn on the other side. Over about 15 years the population increased a ton due to a new highway being put in plus a lot of commercialization and raised our current population to about 30,000.
I still live in the same house, and all around our tiny one story ranch there are multi-million dollar homes with indoor pools and tennis courts. Go figure. When I'm away at college the population of that town is about 18,000 from August till early may, and then about 4,000 during the summer when all the students leave haha. That town is pretty big compared to the area around it, which contains nothing but corn fields and farms. But I do miss the shopping malls and the awesome assortment of restaurants that the suburbs bring. After college, I'd like to live in the city to experience it.

I would say move here... But, that would have been years and years ago. Now, it's gonna be, well a deserted plane once again.