'Small Town Living' Poll

[Kitty]

I have to say that's not the impression I got. It seems too self-contained to be a bedroom community. Of course I've never really gotten a sense of how big Stars Hollow is exactly, so maybe there are just enough jobs for everyone living there!

On the other hand Jess was working at Wal-Mart... was that in Stars Hollow or another town over? I can't remember.

I just suggested it because there is a lot of things we probably do not know about SH that we dont have to know because they do not pertain to the story.  I dont think that they ever said exactly where the walmart was that Jess worked at, but it seems it was far enough away he needed a car to get there. 

I live in a small town as I stated earlier.  I know that there are some shops downtown that are open, and even a B & B.  There is one factory and a few warehouse type businesses, but the majority of the people that live here drive into another one of the bigger towns nearby to work.  There is no way that our town could be self contained.   

[Lapis Lazuli]

Oh okay. Would you say your small town is Stars Hollow-y? You know what kinda reminds me of Stars Hollow is Punxatawney, PA in the film "Groundhog Day".

[Kitty]

Oh okay. Would you say your small town is Stars Hollow-y?

Yes, in fact, I could do a  list as Rory likes to make comparing/contrasting my town to SH (of what we know of it). 

Regardless, SH is a TVland town and I have not seen anything that would lead me to believe it is self contained.  There have been different references to other surrounding towns and how the different characters would have to go there in order to have something they want or need.  For a town that size, there would have to be more places to work outside of what we see.  There are constant projects that Taylor takes on that would have be supported by some kind of tax base.  It is too big of a town, and too nice a town to just be supported by tourism or jobs within only.  I have lived in my small town for over 14 years and I do not know many that live as well as work here.  There just are not enough jobs here to support everyone. 

[Lapis Lazuli]

So maybe there's a Shelbyville or Quohog next door   I've never lived in a town quite that small, but maybe there are true Starshollowites and the people who commute to other towns, and the two hardly see each other?

[1giantGGfan]

I am just in love with the idea of Stars Hollow. I am not interested in the commuting and the buisness of it. I just like the idea of how it would feel and the characters. My friend lives in a small town, while there aren't many people, but there is a butt-load of land so you can't walk everywhere, but she doesn't have to commute or anything.

[Racheal Gilmore]

I live in a small town and I dislike it tremedously! Now there's a differnce in small towns though. I would love to live some place like Stars Hallow, it's so cute and organized and everyones nice... well most. But my small town... oh no! We are like the country red neck or nasty ghetto looking town. Not pretty! We have a school, a tattoo place, 2 churches, 2 gas stations, and 2 hair places. To do anything else you have to go to the next town... yea...
  You always have to worry about everything in a small town, because you know everyone. So you just have to fit into the mold. But I cant wait to get out of here!
  So poeple give me feedback what's it like living in big cities?

[Canuck]

I live in a small town and I dislike it tremedously! So poeple give me feedback: what's it like living in big cities?

Awesome! It depends on the city though. Everything is at your doorstep. Every type of person you care (and not care!) to know are available to you. The restaurants, the theatres, the shopping: all there.

The vibe is different. The energy and rhythm is more fast-paced - so you have to keep up. I hate slow walkers downtown!

The anonymity factor is high. Nobody knows your name and that's the way I like it! If you're someone who likes to know your neighbour and have community BBQs and such, then my advice is to live in a mid-town (not down town, but not the suburbs) community and commute downtown.

I cannot imagine myself living in a small town.

x

[Gilmore_Lover]

Ya. I don't even know my neighbors 2 doors down!
I can't walk anywhere becuase I live on a busy avenue with about a 2 foot sidewalk.
The schools are overcrowdded, which has its drawbacks but its mostly nice because if your mad at people, if you make an effort you'll never have totalk to them.
We have no city functions whatsoever.
Lotso traffic.
But also, 6 minutes in the car and you can be at one of 4 malls, 6 movie theatres etc etc etc.
Bagillions of resturaunts.
No "kids on the block"
I don't get bored.
There are like a million things to do.
I wouldn't trade the city for ANYTHING (cept maybe stars hollow )

[jinglesosborne]

I have lived in a small town, I am living in a small town, and I love being in small town.  I love the quirky people (quirky because you actually get to know who they are) and the lifestyle: the smaller stores, the walking trails, the one main street you can walk.  However, location is important.  Living in a small town that is away from all amenities is no good - it's much better to be within driving distance of a larger centre so that you can actually shop and see some cultural events beyond bingo and ox-pulling.  Stars Hollow seems to qualify: it's small and beautiful, yet it is clearly situated close to bigger centres like Hartford and New York.

[wanderinglilly]

we used to live in the worst town on earth, they had open sewers , gravel roads , about 100 stray dogs roaming the streets and park that was in shambles and everyone threw there garbage out on the street, IT WAS GROSS!
but I had a few friends and we did stuff.
then we moved out into the middle of nowhere and we have stayed there for 5 years . theres nobody around. we go to church on sundays and I have friends there but heres the downer, the church is 2 hours from us and WE ARE ALWAYS LATE!
  its very embarrassing. so realy I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO LIVE IN ANY SORT OF ANY TOWN!
the town being like stars hollow would be a BIG bonus though! 

[Jess__love]

I've never lived in a small town, but I would love to. It seems fun & a lot safer than a large city.

[TWIG]

I am from a small town and I live in a small town and, for the most part I really do love it but like anything else, it isn't perfect.  My issue is thatwhen you return to your small town after going to University and living afar for awhile you are usually not the same person that you were when you left. In my case I am not particularly interested in partying into the wee hours anymore - been there, done that - I have young kids and, quite frankly, I can't handle that hangovers like I used to in my younger years.  Consequently, I have to make new friends that share the same interests, and, in a small town, it can be difficult.  Also, I can't stand the way people are so judgemental, I mean is it any of their business that I bought a new car?!  At the same time, when people found out about me having MS as well as my mother undergoing treatment for cancer this past year people were very nice and compassionate.  Small town living is not for everyone but it is for me - I love it!!

[jinglesosborne]

TWIG, I think you've hit upon a crucial point.  Small town living can be great, but it's not perfect, and they're are definite drawbacks once you've been out and seen the world (and learned proper grammer at university!)  Sometimes things don't change fast in a small town, and you do come back changed, and find the town is as provincial as it ever was.

I think it all depends on the person.  Some people crave the night life of a city - the culture, the shopping, the pace.  Others would rather hang their wash out on a clothesline instead of baking it in a laundromat.  Hearing a coyote instead of a loud-mufflered car is enjoyable to some and stifling to others.

I'm a clothesline, garden, and forest kind of gal.  Just give me my internet and books so at least I can feel as though I'm not stuck in a small town, at least mentally.

Safety wise, I'm not so sure it's the best.  Most people aren't going to be shot in a drive-by even in a city, and some rural areas do see a large amount drunk driving, petty thefts, break-ins, etc.  I'm not sure it's safer, but it feels safer and sometimes that's just as good as long as you lock your doors at night.

[TWIG]

Yeah, I'm not sure that living in a small town is safer either but I do feel like I have more control over my kids, I mean, I know everybody and I know that there are homes that they will never be allowed to visit - ever.  But, as a nurse in a small community I have definitely had my eyes opened to the reality of drug and alcohol abuse in my community. So, I am going to play the "mom card", because I know that there are a lot of young girls on this forum - please stay away from drugs, they do unimaginable things to your body, and if you need to feel that rush or adrenaline high then go rock climbing or white water rafting or, in my case, horseback riding.  You don't need to do destructive things to your body to feel enpowered with life - experience it!!  Okay, I'm done.

[jinglesosborne]

Sometimes, drugs and alcohol use can be worse in a small town because of that "there's nothing else to do" excuse (which is sometimes nothing more than an excuse).  I'm not a big fan of drugs or alcohol, though I do advocate coffee because it's so darn good with little evidence of long term damage if you steer clear of Gilmore-amounts of it. 

But yeah, if you're active, you can find different stuff to do - walking trails rock, especially if you live in interesting terrain; there's always biking, swimming, or just lying outside under the shade on a hot summer day.  As we see in Stars Hollow, there's lots of socializing to do too, because you actually know the people (which can be a good or bad thing).  I'm not a horseback rider or rafter, though I see people enjoying tubing down a river, so maybe I'll try that some day.