Podcast

This is just a short podcast of me talking a little bit about why I love coming back to McPherson so much and how much my small town means to me.

https://soundcloud.com/ally-ulsaker/small-town-podcast

Best Week of The Year

You have Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and all that, but nothing compares to All Schools Day in McPherson. We wait for that first week in May to come around every year! Over the years there has been some speculation of what this beautiful day really is called, May Day or All Schools Day? For me it's All Schools Day.  During this time all of McPherson County joins together to put on different events throughout the week. The whole week leads up to a big parade on Friday going down McPherson's Main Street filled with all sorts of different floats, bands, cars, and animals. After the parade you can find everyone grabbing some food from the various options downtown or the many food trucks set up in the square. After you've gotten your fill of deep fried and sugary food you head on over to the Madathon where you will find kids in 5th grade, 8th grade, and seniors in high school competing in different games. To end the perfect day of fun actives everyone gathers at a park outside of town to watch a firework show.

No matter how far you go away from McPherson, All Schools Day brings you back. This week has a way of bringing people back together and finding the joy in living in this small town. 

- A schedule of all the events throughout the week! 

http://www.allschoolsday.com/all-schools-day-schedule.html

- my photos 

Everyone Loves a Slideshow

Map of McPherson

This is a map of my hometown McPherson. I thought it would be good to add just to show the actual size of the town.

Not That Small, But Small Enough

I am writing this post, because I've been getting some grief about how McPherson is not that small of a town. You aren't wrong, McPherson is not that small compared to others, and it does have a lot more to do then other towns. That doesn't mean that we still don't get bored or have the feeling like we have nothing to do, we still have to drive over 3o minutes to get to any kind of shopping mall and everyone still has tabs on what you are doing with your life. The population of McPherson is around 13,000, and I had about 184 in my graduating class. This blog is suppose to relate to people in someway, no matter how big or small the town is.

Visit McPherson

I love my hometown and appreciate it everything it has to offer! McPherson is a place that has given me many opportunities and continues to give me opportunities. It is definitely a place that I could see myself coming back to. Here is a promotional video made in 2016 of McPherson, KS.

My Top 3 Small Town Activities

You always have those go to things you do for fun in your hometown, but what do you do when you get tired of the same old thing? Here are just a few of the things my friends and I did to shake things up!


1. Geocaching
- Geocaching is an app you can download on your phone. It is basically a treasure hunt throughout your town. You go around trying to find these little hidden boxes, and you either leave something or take something from the box! Also don't forget to sign your name so people know you've been there! My first Geocache I found was in a cemetery a few miles outside of town. We were walking around this cemetery when a cop shows up and asks us what we're doing. My friends and I were completely freaked out and told him exactly what we were doing, hoping we wouldn't get in trouble. He laughed at us and said "Just don't still any tomb stones."


2. Middle Nowhere Bonfire
- This can be kind of hard depending on how small your town is, but it's always something fun to do if you can be smart about it. My friends and I were driving around one night when we came around Dakota Road. It's a hidden, small road that was perfect for getting away. So every so often around ten of us would drive out there and just sit around a small fire.

3.Cruisin Main
- The Main Street of your hometown should be something special. For me personally cruising down Main Street has always been a tradition in my hometown. The casual driving around is always a go to, but during a drive around town we always seem to make it back to Main Street. My mother is from a very small town named Gossel that's about 30 minutes away from McPherson. She use to tell stories of how her and her friends would drive to McPherson just to cruise Main Street. There would be people sitting around there cars on the side just talking and listening to music. People yelling and leaning outside of their windows as they drive by. That story always reminds me of a simpler time and how even the smallest of things can be fun.

photo by me

Small Town Cafe Gathers Community

Saturday morning, it's around 10:30am you have that deep craving in your stomach for something, but you’re not really sure. All you know is the only thing that can satisfy your mid morning hunger is Neighbors. Everyone has a go to place to eat when they just are tired of eating at home or need something different, and that has to be Neighbors for my hometown. To describe Neighbors in one word I would say, “Homie.” You always feel welcomed whenever you walk through the door, Shelly (the owner) greets you right when you walk in the door and tells you to sit where ever you want. It might not be a big place but you can tell by the atmosphere it has a big heart to it. Naturally I sit on the side wall in a booth like usual. Right when you sit down you’re taken back by memories from pictures on the wall. The waitress gives you the menu, but of course you already know exactly what you want.

Here is a link to Neighbors website- http://www.neighborscafe.com

- My photos 

HAPPS

A single word that can turn a lame lonely night into an adventure... Happs. Also known as Half Price Apps at Applebee’s. It might not seem like much to most, but for someone just trying to get out of  the house it’s a life saver.

It’s a Friday night, your hometown football team just one their game, you’re with all your closest friends, so what do you decide to do? Wait for 15 minutes at Applebee’s to get a table just to eat half price appetizers. You walk in, it’s packed, but of course you already know almost half the people there because this is just the place everyone wants to be after a Friday night win.

Sometimes the small things don’t seem like much, but when you look back on it they meant the world.

Small Town, Big Heart Break

Tragedy can happen anywhere, anytime, any place, but for some reason people never think it can happen to them. Tragedy struck my home just last week. A young man that was in my graduating class in high school committed suicide. Thing change and people change after high school, but feelings don’t really change. This boy wasn’t someone I was necessarily close to, but close enough that I knew where he was going to school, I had occasionally been to a party or two with him and had similar friends. Living in a small town everyone is affected different by an upsetting event like this, but we are all affected in someway or any other. This tragic death also can bring people back together. My friends and I all went back for the viewing and gave us a chance to see people we haven’t seen in awhile, but it all hurts just the same. It might be a small town, but it’s a big heart break for everyone in it.

ELE or EKE

Some people are familiar with the phrase, ELE Everybody Love Everybody. But when it comes to a small town it should be more like, EKE Everybody Knows Everybody. Everyone knows your business in a small town and it's not always the best. But if you're wanting to live in a small community you might want to get use to it.

For example when you're going to the grocery store and have to buy more personal items that you don't really want everyone knowing about. But of course you know basically all the cashiers and you know somehow word of you're shopping spree will get out. Occasionally the people in your town know more about yourself than you do.Then there are those moments when you are supposed to know who someone else is and you have no idea, but somehow they know you. From my personal experience in my home town it doesn't help being the youngest in your family, because it makes it even easier for everyone to know you. The biggest advice I would say for someone growing up in a small town is make sure the image you set for yourself is a good one!

"Hey wanna go to Sonic?"

It's a hot summer day and you're sitting at home with nothing to do. So you hit up one of your friends with the signature text, "Hey I'm bored." The typical response I would get is, "Wanna go to Sonic?" Of course you say yes, and you head off to sonic for half price drinks.

For most places this conversation would end once summer is over, but for a small townie there's almost nothing better then half price drinks. After you have gotten your Route 44 cherry limeade it’s time to head off for a nice drive around town. Nothing like wasting a little gas to pass the time away. You've done this multiple times, but overtime you always seem to enjoy that casual stroll through your hometown. For some this might be a waste of gas, but for others it's just another thing to pass the time.

The Places Everyone Hates But Never Leaves

What’s a place you hate, but always find yourself coming back to? For me it happens to be my hometown. I am from McPherson, Kansas which has a population of 13,000. Depending on where you're from that might seem like a lot, but for others it is very little. McPherson occupies multiple companies, but when you get rid of all of those companies my small town is like any other small town. This blog is going be highlighting a few of the many things you pick up from growing up in a small town. The constantly trying to find something to do, to the people always knowing your personal business. I hope while you are reading this blog you either find something to connect with or gain a little bit of insight to small town living!

Photo from- http://www.city-data.com/picfilesv/picv31130.php