By Jennifer Halley – Campus Life Editor

Whether you live in Monmouth, Corvallis, or Dallas, you know what it’s like to live in a small town – a place that is just a blip on the map.

But small town living, despite its slow pace and lack of variety, can be a rewarding place to be a part of: less noise, everything is nearby – you don’t have to drive everywhere – and small, local businesses offer originality.

This does not mean that small towns aren’t associated with the tell-tale signs it is, indeed, a small town. But that’s what it makes it fun, right?

Here are 6 signs you live in a small town:

1. You have to drive 20 minutes just to go to the mall, and the nearest Taco Bell is 15 minutes away.

Generally speaking, small towns are secluded from everything else. And surrounded by rural land, it is a drive just to get to the next town or city. While shopping at Bi-Mart can be a convenient, one-stop trip – and you can buy everything from light bulbs to nail polish – it just isn’t the Salem Center Mall.

2. Almost everything closes after 9 p.m., and the midnight munchies are put on hold.

With small towns come early closing hours, the exception being one or two restaurants, and the corner quick stop. And from 9-midnight, those places are packed with the late-night owls, the student trying to pull an all-nighter, or the people trying to find something stimulating to do. But other than those few open-till-midnight-or-later places, your choices are limited.
Ashleigh Hawkins, a senior at Western Oregon, grew up in Medford, Ore, a city that is considerably larger than Monmouth.

“At home I am used to Fred Meyer being open until 11 p.m. and having a 24 hour Winco about five minutes from my house,” Hawkins said.

3. Everyone knows everyone.

“There is no such thing as anonymity,” Mary Eiswerth, a woman who has lived in Monmouth for 15 years, said.
Eisworth has it right. And depending on how you look at it, that can be a blessing or a curse. Everyone knowing everyone can give one a sense of community, and for Alyssa Loza, who used to live in Corvallis and now lives in Monmouth, that was what she liked about a smaller town.

“Personally, I enjoy living in a small town. I like the environment and living here to go to college helps me stay focused on school.”
That is not the case for everyone, though. Andrea Byars, a former student at Western, said that small towns are crowded and that it is “either a blessing or a curse, depending upon you, your lifestyle and where you want to be.”

4. You will get stuck driving behind a tractor. Multiple times.

Yes. You’ve all been there – just driving along, music blasting through the speakers and all of a sudden, traffic is backed up due to a tractor. Although by this point, it’s a common thing and you’re used to it.

“If you’re going to live in a small town,” Byars said, “I hope you’re prepared to stare blankly at the back of a tractor for 15 slow miles.” Small towns are known for their slower ways of life; tractor traffic is just an aspect of that.

5. “Where’s that at?” is a common question when you explain where you live.

Being a small town means that not everyone knows where you are located. Confused looks, raised eyebrows and “huh?” follow the “where do you live?” and it’s a feat to try and get them to understand where your little town exists.

Stefanie Mathers has lived in Lebanon, Oregon for the past 20 years and said she gets confused looks from people when they ask where she lives.
“I have to explain that it’s by Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis,” Mathers said.

6. You are a part of the community.

College towns such as Monmouth and Corvallis host community festivals for the 4th of July, according to Westerndays.net and downtowncorvallis.org. Monmouth has had an annual tree lighting celebration every December since 1967, the archives at Western said. You really get to know people and for Randy Caamel – a Monmouth resident – he actually knows who his neighbors are, something not seen in bigger cities.

Ashley Sigl, who lives in Amity, similarly said, “It’s kind of like growing up with a huge family. Some members are quite distant and estranged, whereas others are at your house every weekend for a beer and a campfire. But regardless of how close you are, when you need them, they’re there.”

Living in a small town can be a different experience for everyone.
“Big cities stimulate [and] small towns nurture,” Eiswerth said.
It just depends on the experience you want to have.