As I begin my senior and hopefully my last year at Iowa State, I look back to when I first arrived. One of the questions I was asked was, “Where are you from?” After trying to explain where my hometown was I just told everyone I was from Lamoni, where I graduated from. Now as I get older I feel a sense of pride because I’m from a small town. And I think you should too.

Now just because you graduated with a class of 30 doesn’t mean that you did not get a quality education. It doesn’t mean you are not as smart as someone who went to school in a big city. So what if you didn’t have a Wal-Mart and three convenience store? A small-town store will have friendlier people who call you by name.

Yeah, you might have to drive a few more miles to get the things you need from a larger town, but what is the price of gas compared to a sense of belonging?

If you happen to see me on campus, just my appearance will make you think I am from a small town. In my jeans, boots, and beat up cowboy hat I look just like a hick from southern Iowa. I know my clothes don’t fit into big-city style, but they’re just fine for Grand River.

Grand River isn’t much of a town if you look at population or how long it takes to get across town (about three minutes). Everyone there knows my name and has known me since I was wearing diapers. They ask about my family when they see me. And even though I’m at college, they still know me well enough to know what I eat at the north bar and what I drink at the south bar.

I know it sounds weird, but where I come from a bar is the social gathering place for everyone, from the coffee drinkers in the morning to the people stopping by for a beer after work. It’s where people talk about local events, the weather and just have a good time. Most of the bartenders can even tell when you need a beer and usually get you one before you ask.

There are more to these villages than bars. There are also gas stations, where you can still get service the way it used to be. Even though the owner has been through some tough times, he still stays because he knows the people need him. And his customers, who are also his friends, all attend his funeral when he finally passes on, like the gas station owner in my hometown.

Funerals are also big events in small towns, because there is one less person to see at the annual rodeo the Lions Club has held every August for the past 20 years. It’s one less voice to hear singing in one of the five churches on Sunday morning.

Church is another big thing. Even if there may not be many parishioners they still manage to keep going.

Most of these hamlets all over the country were started because a group of farmers found a place to raise their families and their crops. They helped each other with the planting and the harvesting.

They also let their neighbors use their own equipment and help them with different projects. This also continues through the generations, where your father’s friends help you and you help someone else because that is part of being a good neighbor. A good neighbor helps you when you need a hand, takes care of your chores when you are on vacation and is also a pallbearer in your funeral.

You also get to know your parents’ friends and they become your friends. You can actually carry on a conversation with them and not talk about your parents. In fact, it was from one of my father’s friends that I got the nickname “Griffy” from, which is what they call me unless my dad is around. Then they call me “Little Griffy.”

In a small town you also learn values you can carry with you for the rest of your life. I learned to work hard, stay out of trouble and be polite, especially to the ladies (I guess two out of three isn’t bad). I still try to be as polite as I can and I get a kick out of seeing the shocked look on women’s faces when they see a gentleman at work.

Yes, I am proud that I am from Grand River. I will probably live there for the rest of my life. So to all students from places without a mall, walk with your head up because you’re just as good as anyone.

Most of these places may have started out with a bunch of people in the agricultural field getting together, but then again, so did Iowa State University.

Wesley Griffin is a senior in agricultural education from Grand River.