Have you ever dreamed of a life away from the hustle and bustle of a big city? At one time in your life you may have toyed with the idea of living away from all the excitement and settling down in a small town. Unfortunately, small town living is not always fun and games. “Life in a Small Town – Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in a Small Town” discusses many different reasons you should, or should not, consider living in a small town. In reality, many of the reasons mention no longer appear satisfactory.
Crime: Crime is a big concern in the city, but hardly ever talked about in smaller towns. The reason for this is because small towns do have less crime. That does not mean it does not have crime. On March 31, 2012, 9 and 10 news reported police were investigating a meth lab next door to Luther elementary school.
It is not just the meth lab and drugs that are now popping up in small towns but the crime that comes with it. Criminals have begun to realize how easily it is too hid out in smaller towns. Luther, for example, has no actual police department (or ambulance service) so anything 9-1-1 related takes a minimum of 15 minutes before a response is heard.
Luther is not the only town in the world like this, there are thousands of other small towns that do have direct rescue services except fire departments. The idea of it taking so long does draw the outlaws in more and more making the security of a small town almost non-existing.
Schools: Small schools do offer more one on one teaching. Downside is, smaller schools have less funds for proper education. Just recently, as of August 2013, Luther Elementary shut their doors for the final time and begin to ship the students to the near town (15 minutes away). The bus ride alone takes, on average an hour and a half. Ultimately, this makes for a very long day for the younger students.
Another downside to lack of student funding is proper resource room. Many schools can no longer offer resource rooms to student’s middle school or above. Students who really need the help are not the only ones to suffer. Sports and after school activities are being eliminated, specialty classes like languages or health are no longer being offered to students.
These small things may appear insufficient but when add up can take a huge toll on a young students life.
Convenience: Traveling has always been an issue in a small town. With small towns come lack of employment forces people to travel, sometimes hours, to work or even to shop. Each year, more and more people are leaving small towns. Eventually, small towns will become non-existence but until that day comes you still need to consider that small towns can no longer offer day to day services. If you’re small town is surviving than you have a gas station or grocery store. Unfortunately, more and more of these small town stores are closing their doors forever.
Without local gas stations or stores, living in a small town can be difficult. Imagine waking up in the morning and realizing your car is on empty! Imagine running out of milk and having to drive for 30 minutes just to arrive at a store.
Luxuries: Luxuries are also a huge issue for people in a small town. Many basic enjoyments people have today, like internet or cable are scarce to come by. There are still small towns that can only receive dial-up internet. Many more towns are still without cable. Believe it or not but there are far more areas out there where cell phones are useless. For many, these things may seem silly, but in a society dependent on technology they are important.
Life in a small town may appear enchanting, especially when you go on vacation and see the closeness a small town has to offer. In reality, a small town can be deceiving and before you make the move to a small town thing twice because small town living can be a real life changer!