Aaaah, good ol' Waco, the "Heart of Texas." The 254. The (now-growing) town filled with college sports, churches, and schools. The town that was once infamous for David Koresh is now famous for the HGTV hit show "Fixer Upper." However, if you're an '80s-'90s Waco baby, you've loved Waco way before Joanne and what's-his-face started fixing houses.
1. You get asked if you're a Branch Davidian.
The tendency of this is (thankfully) decreasing as time goes on. Almost any time I traveled out of state, I would get asked this at least once.
2. Getting asked "Why didn't you go to Baylor?"
And replying, "Do you know how expensive it is?"
3. Attending Friday night football was mandatory.
Football in the heart of Texas is a way of life.
4. You love Bush's Chicken
I have fond memories of getting a Bush's Chicken family meal every Sunday throughout my childhood. Odds are, you probably have similar memories.
5. Baylor sports games were the most popular pastime.
Especially Lady Bear basketball games and football games. Yes, Baylor had football before RGIII. Shocking, I know.
6. You listened to Quistar.
If you grew up in Waco, especially through the late 2000's, Quistar was (and still is) the greatest rapper.
7. You remember the heartbreak of the West fertilizer explosion like it was yesterday.
All of our hearts sunk and we all cried when our neighbors in West suffered in 2013. Our Texan friendship grabbed national headlines as towns all over central Texas helped our neighbors in West.
8. The HOT Fair was the best time of the year.
Yaaasss to overpriced food and terrifying fair rides! We also can't forget the rodeo.
9. George's was the restaurant to go to with your friends and family.
Mmmm Baylor Beggars (George's rolls with ranch, to all you non-Wacoans). Decent prices and several of your friends worked there.
10. You drove through Rainbow Road for a thrill.
Rainbow Road is filled with scary legends, ranging from evils witches to the KKK. If you were feeling risky, then you would load up your car with friends and drive through the road with your lights off (so safe).
11. Tortilla tossing was a sport.
We all remember going to the "Waco bridge" and throwing a tortilla with all of our strength, desperately hoping it would land on one of the cement blocks in the Brazos River.
12. Common Grounds was the perfect place for a first date.
Delicious coffee, good music, and lots of Baylor students. Aaaah, the romance.
13. Constantly checking the Waco Trib website after prom to find your pictures.
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Once the prom pictures were uploaded, everyone made a mad dash to the Waco Trib website to find pictures of us with our hot dates and friends. Then you would post them on Facebook and they looked like the photo above. Yay, copyright.
14. Going to shows at Art Ambush on the weekend.
Whether it was metal or indie, you were always guaranteed a great time for almost no cost at Art Ambush (RIP). Art Ambush was the place for music, art, piercings and tattoos.
15. Your days off were spent at the Dr Pepper museum.
Never forget making your own Dr. Pepper.
16. Schmaltz's was the sandwich place.
Enough said.
17. You knew that nothing beat a Waco party.
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Wacoans knew (and still know) how to party. We all remember either being or wishing we were at the legendary Tyler Rodriquez party pictured above.
18. You're asked if you were at Twin Peaks when the "motorcycle gangs went loose."
19. Racing on The Valley
The ultimate Saturday night activity. You owe your sharp eye for cops to these nights.
20. You called Lake Waco "the beach."
Mmmm, murky water and an abundance of bugs. You would pay a few bucks for a great afternoon in the sand and lake water.
Ultimately, nothing beats the unity that Wacoans have.
*Cue "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge*
