The 5 Worst Things About Growing Up In Montana

Everyone has their own very unique experience growing up wherever it may be that they were raised. My experience had some good, some bad. A few days ago, I wrote about the better aspects of growing up in Montana.

Read More: 5 Great Things About Growing Up In Montana

Today, I’d like to explore the worst things about growing up here.

Activities Are Few And Far Between

We rarely have any good bands passing through our state. As someone who prefers emo and metal music, it is even more rare for me to have the opportunity to see a band I actually enjoy.

There are no major professional sports leagues here. We have some minor sports organizations, but not many. I know everyone here is obsessed with their college teams, but realistically, they are nothing compared to other states. Can you imagine the Griz playing against a powerhouse like Bama? They would be absolutely crushed.

Travel Is…Insanely Expensive

Every time I buy a plane ticket to or from a Montana airport, a piece of my soul leaves my body. Selling a kidney to afford a ticket just sounds so unreasonable, but might become necessary. There are no direct flights from Montana to most destinations, requiring layover after layover.

It’s not just air travel that breaks the bank, Montana is ranked 14 out of 50 states for highest gas prices, according to AAA. https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/

People Can Be Closed-Minded

Seeing the way locals treat “outsiders” is horrifying, to say the least. From little kids being mean to new kids to adults on social media telling others to “go back to (insert state here)” the lack of kindness blows my mind. Having a superiority complex about where you were born makes no sense. Not a single person on this planet had any choice about where they were born, it’s not a reflection of their person.

Food And Shopping Options Are Limited

There isn’t a lot of variety in available restaurants, depending on where you live. Of the restaurants that do provide some diversity, many of them aren’t terribly authentic. I still dream of tacos from Tacos El Gordo in San Diego.

There aren’t many great options for clothing stores, either. When I was growing up, we always did our back-to-school shopping at the Fox River Mall in Appleton, Wisconsin. They had a Hollister, what more could a basic chick ask for?

Healthcare Leaves A Lot To Be Desired

There are a lot of things that our local healthcare providers don’t have experience with, so we are forced to seek care elsewhere. I know of people who need to go to Denver, Salt Lake, or Minneapolis for surgeries and checkups. Others have been flown to Billings after a heart attack in a more rural area.

I guess a lot of these still apply as an adult, but they are the gripes many of us grew up with and they don’t seem to be going away any time soon.