You hear it often–there’s absolutely nothing to do in a small town! This is true, for the most part. But, hear me out. I’m about to reveal some secrets about living in a small town that actually rock.
I come from a small northern town named Timmins, which is not even that tiny to begin with. Our main industry is gold mining and we’re very isolated from the rest of Ontario. However, being isolated has greatly helped me gain the experience I’ve needed for my schooling.
As a student who needs hands-on experience in the animal industry and having little competition since very few students are in this domain where I come from, I could really pick where I wanted to work during my summers. I was able to work on a beef, pork, and poultry farm during my first summer break while in university, and as a veterinary assistant during my second year summer. Both of these experiences have helped me in countless ways, and I’ve met amazing people during this time.
My friends would often boast about the greatness of the “south of Ontario”, which definitely has its pluses. But, unlike many of my peers, I was able to get a job in the field I wished to work with without having to fight a flooded market of students competing for the same position. I am extremely grateful for the first-hand experience I was able to gain with very skilled veterinarians in my town due to this.
Photo by Victor Freitas on Pexels
Living in a small town also allows you to get selected for your actual resume qualifications, whereas in big cities, it’s often who you know that gets you into the good positions. I’m certain this still happens in my small town, but everywhere I’ve applied and many whom I’ve talked to about this agree with me; it’s really your past experience and schooling that counts because once again, the market is not flooded.
One of the biggest things that really mark me though, is how it is so easy to get from point A to point B. We don’t have to deal with traffic and have little to no wait times while waiting in lines at stores. Everything is accessible without having to take a freeway. Yet, we’re not entirely isolated as to not have a Starbucks for example. It just makes everything much easier to get to, and you can avoid public transit altogether since nearly everything is accessible by foot.
Not to mention, our town smells good. The air is fresh, clean, and free of any city smog. We are surrounded by forest, to the point where it’s not uncommon to have black bears and moose roam around town on occasion. The air is so much cleaner, to the point where my acne nearly disappears when I come home during my breaks versus the multitude of breakouts I get during the school year.
So all in all, living in a small northern town really has its perks. I may complain about it jokingly, but at my core, I am eternally grateful for what it has to offer.