There have been several things I've learned since moving from Wisconsin to Kentucky.

1. What the hell is a bubbler?

Back where I am from a bubbler is what you southerners like to call a “water fountain”. Little did I know that when I first asked where to find a bubbler, I was met with looks like I was an alien or something. I quickly had to explain myself and this was actually my ice breaker I used to make new friends. Apparently a bubbler is also a device used to smoke the devil’s lettuce, so some of my peers immediately thought of me as a stoner so that was fun.

2. Am I using “y’all” correctly?

Upon my arrival, I immediately wanted to fit in, so I started using the only piece of slang I knew to communicate with the locals, and that was through the use of the conjunction of y'all. Although I didn’t always use it correctly, it definitely helped me integrate into this new culture.

3. Why the obsession with sweet tea?

I still don't understand this obsession if I'm being honest. I cannot stand the taste of sweet tea. It’s a very unpleasant drink in my mind and I don't think I'll ever come to enjoy this southern drink.

4. The Green Bay Packers are everywhere.

No I'm serious. We Packer fans literally have an app called Packers Everywhere and you type in your zip code and it provides with the nearest Packers bar to your location. Here in Louisville, that would be Saint’s Bar out on Shelbyville Road and they even have a Lambeau Loft. Beer and the Packers on a Sunday? It's like I never left home.

5. People seemingly dress nicer here.

I'm not sure if it’s the influence of the Kentucky Derby or just southern protocol, but the people down here seem to dress nicer than they do back home. I'm used to seeing people in Packers attire or University of Wisconsin gear, but here everyone I feel like dresses like they're in a fraternity and sorority and I felt significantly underdressed whenever I went out. I've started to fix my wardrobe but I don't think I'll ever be fully integrated into that part of this society. Speaking of clothes, this moves on to my next topic.

6. People will stare at you when you wear shorts in winter.

Being from Wisconsin, my definition of cold and the people’s definition of cold here in Louisville are very different. If it reaches anywhere close to 30 degrees, people freak out and God forbid if it goes down into single digits. I see people with 20 million different layers on and there I am, walking around in my Nikes, shorts, and a sweatshirt and I'm getting looks from every person I pass. Several strangers tend to come up to me and ask if I'm cold and I promptly let them know I'm from Wisconsin which typically gets a “oh that makes sense” type of response. I'm also actually quite notorious on campus as the “kid who always wear shorts” and I'm proud of that moniker.

7. Snow days are easy to obtain.

Back home, in order to get a snow day, it needed to snow about 4 feet between 5-8 am non-stop, otherwise the plows would already have all the roads cleared. Here, it's an entirely different story.Last year, we got a snow day because there was a chance it was going to snow. That is utterly insane to me. The best part about the snow days is seeing how the city absolutely shuts down. There will be no cars on the road, no people, nothing. It looks haunting sometimes, like I'm in a movie where all of civilization has been wiped out or something. But hey, a couple days off of school every year for 3 inches of snow? I'm not complaining.

8. People love to point out my accent.

So what if my “-ag” words sound a little different? Yes my accent sounds slightly Canadian but I'm okay with that and you should be too. People do enjoy making me constantly say words that they think I'll say differently than them and I'm a good sport so I usually entertain their word game and it’s a grand ol’ time.

9. No I don't want any of your milk or cheese.

I'm from the dairy state, I don't want your second tier cheese or milk. I want the real deal. I'm very picky but very knowledgeable about my milk and cheese and if it isn't Wisconsin cheese, I really don't see a point in eating it. Don't even get me started on the milk. Kroger does not do milk justice, what we need down here is some nice Kemp’s chocolate milk. Honestly, that may be what I miss most about home, the great dairy it had to offer.

10. A house divided.

Here in Kentucky, you're either a Louisville or a Kentucky fan. There's no switching sides or liking both. There's a definitive line that separates the two. Back home, this is not the case. Our state unites over arguably one of the best schools in the country, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There is no house divided, we stand strong and say On Wisconsin. Plus, we beat the undefeated Kentucky team so that was pretty cool too.