Many people debate over whether Chico is a City or a Town. Growing up in Chico, I have watched it change each year. I have watched the College students come to Chico and increase the population by 15,000 and I have watched them leave so that we might enjoy the peaceful Summer and Holiday season. I think that because of its unique composition of local families and retired elderly, Chico is definately a Town-like community, but once the College students come to town, it takes on the aura of a small City. College students blow on the local economy's flame.
As I have grown up in Chico, I have gained friends and lost friends every time new changes occur in my life, but I have always been drawn to the other locals in the area. I met my boyfriend downtown, surrounded by out-of-towners, but somehow we ended up together and he has lived here longer than I have. Most of my friends have gone away to college or we have just grown apart, but I somehow always end up at parties or events where mostly locals gather. We have picked up a few stragglers from other areas such as Southern California or the Bay Area, but we mostly find each other for some reason.
Growing up in Chico, as it was a lot smaller when I was born, I have been raised in a small town atmosphere. I feel that Chico is a great place to raise kids because my parents somehow protected me from a lot of the terrible things that happen out in the real world for a while, until I was ready to handle them. Some people may think raising their kids in a bubble is a bad thing, but I think it gave me a good set of standards to face the world with.