Where are all of my other small-town kids at?! That’s right, folks; like many of you, I grew up in rural Colorado and learned some important life lessons just by proxy, including these 15 things that you can never, ever get away with growing up in a small town:
- Skipping school…
Flickr/Helga Weber Look; there were only a handful of places you could go in town anyway and all of the people working there knew your age, whether or not school was in session, AND your class schedule… It wasn’t even worth trying to skip!
- …practice…
Flickr/Herald Post If you missed practice for any reason (including a life threatening illness), you would be forced to sit out most of the big game, so this – like skipping school – just wasn’t worth it.
- …church…
Flickr/denisbin “Where are the enter your last name heres?”
“Are they out of town?”
“Are they skipping church just because?”
You know how it goes (because you did it too)!
- …or work.
Flickr/Katy Warner Much like school, EVERYONE knew where you worked and when you were supposed to be there. I guess you could have just played hookie and stayed home, but what’s the fun in that?!
- Keeping your blossoming relationship a secret.
Flickr/netzanette New boyfriend or girlfriend? Trying to keep it under the radar? Good luck with that, because both your doctor AND 2nd grade teacher already know about it…
- Staying out past curfew.
Flickr/Carlos Lowry Out past 10? Yeah, get your butt home… the cops know your car and know that you’re only 16!
- Driving your friends around right after getting your license.
Flickr/State Farm Now, this is a newer one (newer = within the last 15 years), but I remember being TICKED that I wasn’t able to drive my friends around after getting my license because of the newly implemented “no one under 21 in your car until you’ve had your license for 6 months” law. In hindsight, however, I get it (and get why the cops pulled me over when they saw me driving around with 4 friends right after getting my license)…
- Not waving at on-coming traffic…
Flickr/Dread Pirate Jeff You had mastered the trademark two-finger wave before you could even talk.
- …or attending the big game on Friday night.
Flickr/Bill Rice Not that you would want to miss it… there is nothing quite as iconic as those Friday night lights!
- Talking back to your teacher…
Flickr/Government of Prince Edward Island This was just a terrible idea (especially if your mom was best friends with one of your teachers, like me) because that teacher would never forget it and would tell the rest of the teachers and administration about it almost immediately. (Side note: In general, it isn’t cool to talk back to teachers, so just don’t do it!)
- …law enforcement…
Flickr/28704869 …not that you would do it anyway, since the police chief was either your uncle or best friend’s dad (or both).
- …or adults in general.
Flickr/Philippe Put Let’s just say that you learned the importance of respecting your elders at a young age.
- Finally, you could never get away without being cheered on…
Flickr/David Green
- …supported…
Flickr/Ondřej Lipár
- …or loved on by nearly everyone in community.
Flickr/James Dowse As much as you hated it while you were growing up, you know that everyone in your small town had your back and wanted nothing more than to see you succeed!
For even more Colorado fun, check out these 14 Things Coloradoans Do That Seem Insane To Everyone Else.
Flickr/Helga Weber
Look; there were only a handful of places you could go in town anyway and all of the people working there knew your age, whether or not school was in session, AND your class schedule… It wasn’t even worth trying to skip!
Flickr/Herald Post
If you missed practice for any reason (including a life threatening illness), you would be forced to sit out most of the big game, so this – like skipping school – just wasn’t worth it.
Flickr/denisbin
“Where are the enter your last name heres?”
“Are they out of town?”
“Are they skipping church just because?”
You know how it goes (because you did it too)!
Flickr/Katy Warner
Much like school, EVERYONE knew where you worked and when you were supposed to be there. I guess you could have just played hookie and stayed home, but what’s the fun in that?!
Flickr/netzanette
New boyfriend or girlfriend? Trying to keep it under the radar? Good luck with that, because both your doctor AND 2nd grade teacher already know about it…
Flickr/Carlos Lowry
Out past 10? Yeah, get your butt home… the cops know your car and know that you’re only 16!
Flickr/State Farm
Now, this is a newer one (newer = within the last 15 years), but I remember being TICKED that I wasn’t able to drive my friends around after getting my license because of the newly implemented “no one under 21 in your car until you’ve had your license for 6 months” law. In hindsight, however, I get it (and get why the cops pulled me over when they saw me driving around with 4 friends right after getting my license)…
Flickr/Dread Pirate Jeff
You had mastered the trademark two-finger wave before you could even talk.
Flickr/Bill Rice
Not that you would want to miss it… there is nothing quite as iconic as those Friday night lights!
Flickr/Government of Prince Edward Island
This was just a terrible idea (especially if your mom was best friends with one of your teachers, like me) because that teacher would never forget it and would tell the rest of the teachers and administration about it almost immediately. (Side note: In general, it isn’t cool to talk back to teachers, so just don’t do it!)
Flickr/28704869
…not that you would do it anyway, since the police chief was either your uncle or best friend’s dad (or both).
Flickr/Philippe Put
Let’s just say that you learned the importance of respecting your elders at a young age.
Flickr/David Green
Flickr/Ondřej Lipár
Flickr/James Dowse
As much as you hated it while you were growing up, you know that everyone in your small town had your back and wanted nothing more than to see you succeed!
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