I moved from a town of 8,000 people to New York City - here are 9 things I do and don't miss about small-town life

One upside of living in a bustling city like New York is that a lot of what you need is right outside your door. Delis, bodegas, convenience stores, coffee shops, and more are oftentimes never more than a block or two away.

When I lived in a small town, the nearest Dunkin' or McDonald's was at least a 20-minute drive away. You could roughly drive halfway across Manhattan in that same time span, and pass probably hundreds of McDonald's and coffee shops.

It's true what they say — living in New York City can be extremely expensive. Restaurants are noticeably more expensive than the ones back home, and don't even get me started on the housing market. However, I've found ways to cut corners that can save me money on food and rent.

Living with multiple roommates and taking advantage of New York City's cheap eats will save you money while living in one of the most expensive cities in the country.

A lot of restaurants in New York may be expensive, but there's so many more to choose from. In New York City, we truly are spoiled for choice. There's so much to see, do, and eat, it can be overwhelming at times.

When I lived in a small town, I'd go to the same restaurants over and over again — and none of them were half as good as the places I've been to here in New York.

I'm about a 3-hour journey from home, which makes it hard to see my family and friends from home on a regular basis. My whole life, other than when I went away to college, I was extremely close to my family and the people I went to school with. I do miss being able to see them more often, but I know I'm only a train ride away.

More than anything, though, I do miss having my mother's home-cooked meals more often — I've yet to find a spaghetti bolognese in the city that can compete with hers.

One downside of being in super close proximity to your family, neighbors, and the people who live in your town? Everybody gossips about everybody, and everybody knows everybody else's business.

News travels fast in a small town — both good and bad.

In New York City, you're practically anonymous. No one knows anything about you unless you directly tell them — they're way too busy worrying about their own busy lives to talk about yours.

I do miss the days when I wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of sirens or car alarms going off. Whenever I go home to Connecticut, one of the first things I always notice is how quiet it is around my house. We have no immediate neighbors, so the only sounds I can hear at night are the faint cries of coyotes in the woods behind our property or the chirping of crickets.

One side effect of growing up in a small, New England town is that there can sometimes be a serious lack of religious and racial diversity. My hometown is admittedly comprised of mostly white people. Now that I live in New York City, one of the most diverse cities in the country, the difference is really striking. I love being in a place where diversity is celebrated.

New England may have its problems, but the seasons in that part of the country are truly unrivaled. Living on a farm, I always enjoyed the natural beauty of my house and my neighborhood. Summers were hot, but I never had to stand on a crowded, dirty subway platform sweating in places I never wanted to sweat. Driving through my hometown in the fall is nothing less than breathtaking. Growing up, I could pass a roadside lemonade or apple cider stand, historic landmarks, and multiple apple orchards on my way home from school.

My hometown may not be a cultural epicenter like New York City, and that does have its drawbacks. However, I've come to have an appreciation for the quaint, picturesque, and neighborly lifestyle that is small-town life in New England.

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