Advantages of Small Town Living vs. the Advantages of Big City Living

Jay Holeman

June 1, 2014

ENG 1100

Advantages of Small Town Living vs. the Advantages of Big City Living

I have lived in small towns with their quiet charm and easy lay back living. I have also lived in big city where this is always something to do. But what if you had to choose? Let 's compare the two. Both small towns and big cities have aspects and qualities that are good, one has a slower typing of living, while the one is fast.

In a small town, there are some values that are more important and more difficult to achieve. Such values include the enjoyment of nature, the warmth and comfort of humanity, and the inner strength of enlightenment. Becky Tijuana says that "in small town you can find your spirituality." In crowded and busy cities, nature is almost completely neglected and eliminated. Technology, industries, and tall buildings eliminate the beauty of nature to introduce the advancements of humanity. Also stress is lower in a small town it 's not as noisy, or congested, it 's just peaceful.

Another important factor to living in a small town is that people stop and smell the roses. They take life seriously but not so serious that they don 't take time for small things. Small towns have more of a neighborly attitude. On Friday nights the most important thing is who won the football game. Becky Tijuana believes that it also keeps people more "morally focused" because of the closeness of not only family but friends as well. This is because there are more people to hold others accountable for their actions. People in small towns come together more when tragedy strikes by helping the family or person affected by the tragedy. If it one person or family it affects them all. There is usually a town square with benches and older gentlemen can be seen sitting and talking about days gone by. Children play out in the yards until late evening catching lightening bugs while parents sit on poaches and talk. These can be seen in a big city if you look but it can be seen almost everywhere in small towns.

Crime is not as high in a small town. People in small town look out for their neighbors, they see something that looks wrong they report it. They watch the homes of their neighbors. People usually know what is happening with their neighbors, whether they are home or gone on vacation. Because they are familiar with their neighbors and their routines it is easy to recognize strangers or any kind of threat.

Things, such as retail stores, hair salons/barber shops, and restaurants are closer together. You don 't to drive 30 or 40 minutes to get somewhere. Even gas station now carries everything from groceries to pet food, to personal items, to food ready to eat.

There is no end to what people can do in big city. There are restaurants, theater, ballet, music of all kinds that people can experience year round. There are also things that can only be experienced during certain times of the year, such as New Year 's Eve in Times Square.

Susan Klatz Beal states "Cities tend to be melting pots of different cultures, religions and ethnic groups." Cities can offer people the opportunity to get better jobs and better salaries than what they would find elsewhere. People can work for the city or the even state in large cities as this is where their headquarters are. Big name companies such as, Eli Lilly, Anthem, Roach will have their headquarters also in the bigger cities.

Big cities also offer people a chance to see unique things. How many people in a small town can say they have see a canal running through the very heart of a city with office buildings, and a fire station on its banks. Beautiful homes that were once the homes of presidents and poets are opened up to the public. There are museums, libraries, nature trails, forest preserves and all sorts of things that might exist elsewhere, but undoubtedly not in the same place. Some cities have cultural programs that fund free concerts in parks, community theater productions, and countless other affordable or free cultural events.

Susan Klatz Beal also touches on food and merchandise that you can 't find in small towns. Susan lists things such as ethnic food stores that carry specialty merchandise, butchers that carry prime meat, gourmet food stores.

These are just some of the various advantages to living in a small town and a big city. They both have their qualities they are just lived a little differently. A Small town is quiet; people find closeness beneficial, they watch out for each other, and crime is low. The big city is fast moving, growing, opens up opportunities, things to experience year round. Some people prefer to live in a small town with all of its quaintness and go to big city when they want something special. Some people like the hustle and bustle of the big city and say that the small town is too quite. I have lived in both a small town and a big city. I am one that prefers the big city. The small town is to boring for me. Which do you prefer?

Works Cited

Beal, Susan Klatz. "Benefits of Living in a City." LifePaths 360.com. 11 March 2011. Web. 27 May 2011.

Tijuana, Becky. "4 Advantages to Living in a Small Town." Wordpress.com. 22 June 2010. Web. 27 May 2014.

Revisions

I changed my first sentence to include what I personally experienced in a small town and in a large city. I used a two questioned as hook. I changed my thesis statement from three sentences to one sentence. In the statement I added what the difference was that I was going to talk on. I broke the paragraph one into two paragraphs. In the third paragraph I spoke more of the closeness that can be found in the small towns. In every paragraph I went into more detail about the points I made, why I made them. I want the person reading the essay to be able to see themselves in the small town or big city. In the last paragraph I listed things that were touch on for both small towns and big cities. I added my final thoughts. At the end I asked the reader a question.

I included two references each from Becky Tijuana and Susan Klatz Beal.

Cited: Beal, Susan Klatz. "Benefits of Living in a City." LifePaths 360.com. 11 March 2011. Web. 27 May 2011. Tijuana, Becky. "4 Advantages to Living in a Small Town." Wordpress.com. 22 June 2010. Web. 27 May 2014. Revisions I changed my first sentence to include what I personally experienced in a small town and in a large city. I used a two questioned as hook. I changed my thesis statement from three sentences to one sentence. In the statement I added what the difference was that I was going to talk on. I broke the paragraph one into two paragraphs. In the third paragraph I spoke more of the closeness that can be found in the small towns. In every paragraph I went into more detail about the points I made, why I made them. I want the person reading the essay to be able to see themselves in the small town or big city. In the last paragraph I listed things that were touch on for both small towns and big cities. I added my final thoughts. At the end I asked the reader a question. I included two references each from Becky Tijuana and Susan Klatz Beal.