I’m going to go ahead and start this post out by saying that I actually am from a small town (and a graduating class of 40,) and that like most rural youth, I wanted nothing more than to graduate and move to a town that was big enough to have a Target. Looking back, however, growing up in rural Colorado was absolutely ideal, and it’s something that shaped me into the person that I am today. Do you feel the same? If your hometown has a population of less than 20,000, you may recognize a few of the situations on this list.

1.) You had to make a special trip to Denver or to the Springs to buy your back-to-school clothes
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The local thrift and small chain store could only do so much.
2.) You played South Park in football
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For the millionth time, IT IS A REAL PLACE!
3.) Field trips to a bigger town were a pretty big deal...
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Greeley, Dillon, wherever...you're in the big city now!
4.) ...as were out-of-town birthday parties...
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Fat City, here we come!
5.) ...and school sporting events.
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If you were lucky enough, the town you were visiting might have even had an Olive Garden.
6.) Instead of naming the town you were from, you referenced the closest, most well known city
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"The town is called Alamosa...forget it; I'm from Pueblo!"
7.) If the car coming in the opposite direction also had a Colorado license plate, you waved
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...because more often than not, you knew who it was (and if you didn't wave, you'd be hearing about it later on from your parents.)

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8.) You were completely unphased by seeing somebody ride their horse to school
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It was probably one of the FFA kids.
9.) You know what FFA actually stands for
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...because you were in it and rocked those National Blue and Corn Gold jackets!
10.) You lost count of the number of snow days you had in high school
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This more so applies to the plains kids. (Sorry, westies!)
11.) Riding the light rail for the first time nearly gave you a panic attack
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"I'm going to get lost...and mugged...and I'm never going to get to ride my horse to school again...and..."
12.) Dating kids from nearby schools was completely normal
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It only got weird during football season.
13.) You learned how to drive on the interstate
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And driving in Fort Collins for the first time nearly caused your insurance rates to triple. (Or was that just me?)
14.) Your first day of college at CU was the most shocking day of your life
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"I. Don't. Know. Any. Of. You. People!!"
15.) You're proud of where you came from, and can't help but smile whenever you think of your hometown
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You may have complained about it at the time, but growing up where everyone knew your name and looked out for you was truly the best thing ever.

Which small Colorado town do you represent? Tell me about it in the comments!

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