But this week, for some unknown reason, I have had two people on separate occasions say to me, "I always find it so funny to meet real city kids, kids who spent their childhood in the city. What was it like??" I always laugh awkwardly at this and say something like, "haha, yeah well, you know, to me it is exactly like wherever you're from is to you -- it's just home. I don't know what it would be like to be raised anywhere else."
That being said, as a kid I definitely romanticized country life. I told my parents countless times that I wished I had been raised on a farm in the country instead of in an apartment in the city. I told them that when I grew up, I was going to move out west and have that rural experience I always wanted -- with wide open fields and space as far as the eye could see. My neighbors would live miles away and "town" would be the one general store and a post office. My dad loves to tell me this story now so he can point and laugh and say, "I told you so."
But oh, he told me so. I went to college in a rural town (totally chosen on purpose for it's delightfully quaint rural-ness) and QUICKLY realized how wrong I was about myself. I am a city girl, through and through. The city hath spoiled me forever.
First of all, I don't know why I didn't realize this would be a problem (probably because I grew up in a city) but I didn't have a driver's license my first year in college. I know that suburban and country kids wait for that moment with baited breath, but I watched my sixteenth birthday come and go without any desire to get myself to the DMV. I thought, "What a hassle to get one of those license things," and "... It's not like I'm getting a car."
It was only after I moved to the country for college that I realized the extent of my city freedom. Did I want to the movies with friends? I don't need to wait for my mom to take me or pick me up -- I can take myself whenever I want via taxi or subway or walking. How about visiting a friend's house? No one has to drive me, I can get myself there. Not to mention that drunk driving was never, ever an issue at my high school. We just didn't drive. Period. (The drinking on the other hand...).
But, the point is, I had a remarkable amount of independence growing up. Independence that I completely took for granted until I got to college and realized I couldn't go anywhere unless someone else was willing to take me there in their automobile. So, of course, when I came home for the summer after Freshman year, I immediately got a license and a car. I need to be free. And I had finally learned what it means to associate freedom with the ability to drive.
Another thing: this is probably unique to me, but during my first year in college I would get ridiculous food cravings and not be able to satisfy them. In the city, I had always been able to order Chinese food whenever the feeling struck me. In New York, I can get takeout at 8pm or midnight or at 4am. This was NOT true in Waterville, ME, where not only was there no decent Chinese food anyway, but ALSO the restaurants closed at 9pm. 9pm!? That's when dinner in the city is just getting started.
Or how about if I suddenly realize I need tissues at 11pm? Thank goodness the corner store three blocks away from my house in NY is open 24 hours. In Maine, I would be completely out of luck.
One last thing: I didn't know how much this would bother me, but in college I met a lot of people and one of the first questions we'd ask each other was, "oh where are you from?" A LOT of people would say to me, "Boston" and then I'd be like, "oh cool, where in Boston?" And they'd say, "Well, 30 minutes outside of Boston in a suburb called _______." This became a huge pet peeve of mine. If you are not actually from the city do not say you're from the city. Just. No. The kids who actually grew up in the city had a completely different experience from your "30 minutes outside the city" suburban experience. The two should not be grouped together, even if you think you lived "close enough" on a map.
I don't know why that bothers me so much, but it does. Be proud of where you're from, whether it be the city or the country or the suburbs in between.
The End.
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