1. Everyone is related.
Last names are an important thing in Arkansas, it's the connecting piece to every family high and low throughout the state. If you hear the name "Smith" in El Dorado, yes they're probably related to the one's in Benton. You don't even need to ask. It's not even really that we're just all one big family, it's more of the fact that we claim everyone as family-- even when they're not. Trying to keep up with the "she's my third cousin by marriage twice removed on the other side" stories can be confusing, but you're laughing because you know you're guilty of it too. What can we say, our family roots run deep.
2. If you've never been hunting- you're a city slicker.
If you don't own camo- well, just go buy some camo. People from all over the 50 states come from all over to hunt in the same woods that could be in your back yard. It's not that we're redneck, we just really want to take advantage of the opportunities the good Lord sat before us. Some towns, though, don't mind being called redneck and even take pride in it. Last year a video went pretty viral around our state on Facebook over which town was the most redneck. This amounted to the amount of frog giggin', cowboy boot wearin', people of Walmart each town has. Proud to say Mena (where I live) won first place, baby!
3. Every single town has an abundance of Mexican restaurants and churches.
It's true. Big or little, each town is going to have at least one Mexican restaurant and around five churches.
4. The scenery can't be beat.
Yet, another thing that people come from all over to see. Our mountains, lakes, and rivers leave people saying that this is "God country." We have the Ozark and Ouachita Forests that provide miles of beautiful scenery that can't be beat. Every season brings an all new beauty to the nature around us, that we get to see daily.
5. Football is life.
Arkansas football is crazy and intense, but everyone loves it. On Saturday's you wear red (for the hogs) no questions asked. If you don't like the razorbacks, you have probably found it best to just keep that to yourself. High school football isn't much better. We determine towns in Arkansas to their classification according to the AAA. Pride in your high school football team can be found in all ages and can't be broken.
6. The weather is unstable.
There is absolutely no need in putting up your clothes after seasons. To live in Arkansas, you are going to need your shorts and t-shirt the same week you're going to wear a coat and toboggan. Sunny one day, tornado's the next. It's a struggle.
7. Northwest Arkansas is their own state.
The Northwest is growing quickly and is easy to say that it holds many of our greatest landmarks. The strip of towns that brought you Tyson and Wal-Mart, and many other great businesses, band together almost as bad as the Texans. They have their own clique.
8. We have a bounty of southern phrases.
"Barking up the wrong tree" "It's hotter than.." "Get the short end of the stick" and many, many others are some common sayings you hear just about everyone around here saying. It's not uncommon to find a couple of elderly men drinking coffee spouting off one of these right after another.
9. We don't claim the Clintons'.
There really isn't any comment needed for this one.
10. Once you're here, you never want to leave.
You're stuck. While most Arkansans do find themselves wanting to take trips and vacations at many different world locations, a majority always find themselves coming home. There is just something about living in this crazy beautiful state that never makes you want to leave.
