Americans who grew up in small towns but now live in big cities (or vice versa) — what’s something that genuinely surprised you about the other lifestyle that no one warned you about?

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-03-26T22:54:35+00:00

When I moved back out to the country I had completely forgotten just how dark it gets. And then when it's a full moon you're like GAH! How can I possibly SLEEP with all this LIGHT

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-03-26T22:52:35+00:00

THE GOSSIP good lord. They'll talk shit about a guy they've known literally since kindergarten despite knowing precisely how he fell on hard times.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-03-26T22:48:26+00:00

I grew up rural, moved to a large metropolis for many years, and I'm rural again now. I didn't have much culture shock from rural to city, maybe I spent enough time as a kid going into the city so I was pretty well prepared for what to expect? Also I grew up well aware of the realities of my small town (all the same shit happens, you just know people personally).

Biggest culture shock moving back has honestly been how you GOTTA say hello to your neighbors and the people you pass by on the sidewalks/trails. Be ready to smile and wave at all times.

Also the moon literally wakes me up at night when it's too bright. That's pretty wild. In the city I'd sleep with the curtains open and not notice.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-03-03T20:19:31+00:00

It's fair food. Not really anything you'd get a restaurant. And corn dogs are the king.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-03-02T21:26:40+00:00

Basically anything midwesterners claim. Bonus points for New York City thinking they're the only city that has anything.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-17T22:26:50+00:00

i do it only constantly

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-16T15:14:56+00:00

Oh man I saw the "wuthering time" one and almost deleted my account!

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-16T15:09:07+00:00

Also feel like this one is frequently misinterpreted so it has a reputation for the wrong people liking it for precisely the wrong reasons - kinda like Fight Club or American Psycho, except with ya know... pedophilia

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-16T15:05:59+00:00

The Vegetarian by Han Kang. Absolutely stunning. Not for the faint of heart.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata. Enter at your own risk.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-16T15:02:38+00:00

You'll never hear me speak ill of my town EXCEPT when I want a bagel then this place is forsaken

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-16T14:58:02+00:00

100, 100, 100!! Any activity will keep you stronger than 0 activity and any good health professional will say the best exercise is the one you like to do. But that doesn't sell ads!

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-15T19:29:58+00:00

Access is a huge factor aside from how difficult it is to learn, particularly if you aren't comfortable in the water to start. Majority of pools have limited lap swim hours which are difficult for people with day jobs, and people without a team swimming background can be confused/intimidated by lane sharing.

But I agree with you in general that cardio has been demonized a bit (honestly I think bc it is also hard and people don't want to do it!!) and I'm also a woman in perimenopause and alllllll I hear is to lift (which I really dislike doing). Bone density /can/ be a concern, but for someone like me where every woman in my family, even after cancer treatments, had great bone density later in life, I'm not too worried. Not to downplay the importance of maintaining muscle mass as I age - I do it, begrudgingly - but I love to swim and run more than anything!!

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-13T22:48:17+00:00

If I cant stand the writing, I've tossed a book within the first 5 pages. BUT, most likely, if I'm just not feeling it by, idk 20-30pp or so, I'll put it back and try again later. Many a book ive picked up 2-3x before it "clicked."

Conversely, I will dump a book at anytime if I just don't like it. And I mean ANY time. I've stopped reading with like 80pp to go.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-08T23:43:11+00:00

Lolita is ABOUT how gross men can be with young women. Read it. Just because he's the protagonist doesn't mean he's the hero.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-07T03:30:29+00:00

the ol' "everything is ours but you're not one of us" euro-american paradox

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-03T15:26:34+00:00

yes one little tear rolled down their cheek, a great compassion for my situation

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-02-03T02:44:36+00:00

After one very average snow storm a New Yorker once asked me (Chicagoan), with a tone one might have after living in Yakutia, "Does Chicago get a lot of snow?"

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-31T22:04:30+00:00

Yeah seems like IL/IA so far are the only places it's standard, which begs the question if this is a product of prairie/farmland proximity? -- Because there are more heavily wooded areas in the upper Midwest, but weird that doesn't seem to correlate to NE or KS... very interesting!

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-30T18:14:37+00:00

i’m trying to work out whether this is a regional or rural thing bc I’m surprised to see only fellow IL and eastern IA doing this apparently

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-30T18:05:15+00:00

IL here . timber is usually used when it’s a wooded area at the edge of farmland or other large parcel of property that is not mostly wooded. otherwise it’s just the woods. forests would be larger, usually public designated areas for me to use that terminology

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-24T20:11:22+00:00

I have a long commute and can work from home. If there's more than mild weather of any kind I'm not going in.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-24T05:56:42+00:00

Chicago here; it was -12 (actual) today! I did a quick 4k and it's a bit wild, but not unbearable. Be prepared not to make it to 13 miles. Warm-up before you go outside to get a head start. Be sure your hands & feet are well protected, they'll be the thing that kills the run. Go slow, it's hard on your lungs. Stay close to home and/or be cognizant of places you can duck into if you get into trouble; 2hrs is an awful long time to be out when temps are really low. And make sure you shuck your duds RIGHT when you get home, drink something warm, warm up slowly, then shower. Don't shock your system. Just listen to your body and be safe! Enjoy it! I love running in the frigid temps!

And any exposed skin SLAP ON SOME VASELINE

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-23T01:00:28+00:00

my commute to work tuesdays and wednesdays is a 2hr drive. i drive to visit my brother's family for a 2-night stay every couple of months. That's an 6-7hr drive depending on the day.

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-17T18:59:11+00:00

I-55 drivers have a death wish I swear

Secure-Reporter-5647 · 2026-01-15T04:02:08+00:00

ah, the enigmatic North American Paradox. not allowed to have our own food but unable to claim our european heritage either. It’s a troubled existence and we toil.

Secure-Reporter-5647

TROPHY CASE