I’m not necessarily from the north, but when I came to school in the south, I was in for a big culture shock. From the food to the things people wear, things were a lot different here than I was used to back home.
1. My T-shirts were way too small
I didn’t realize that everyone wore their shirts two sizes too big so it doesn’t look like they’re wearing shorts. Before I came to college, I was always buying the size shirt that fit me just right, but those would not longer suffice. I had to trade in all my smalls for XLs. I mean shirts that come down to your knees are better anyways, right?
2. Chacos
Walking around campus at the beginning of the year I saw these weird strappy shoes that EVERYONE had on. I thought to myself are those even comfortable? Then I discovered that Chacos are actually supposed to be one of the most comfortable shoes for a lot of walking. Though I refuse to ever buy a pair for myself, I had to get used to seeing these shoes everywhere I went.
3. The food is something to live for
I never realized how much fried food there was in the world until I moved to the South. They can fry pretty much everything, and I learned that having some sort of fried chicken every night of the week is definitely acceptable. I also found out that I would have to trade in my Wawa runs for Pilot (which I’m still a little upset about) since no one has any idea what that is around here.
4. Football Saturdays are not a joke
Never in my life have I experienced something as amazing as game day here in the South. Everyone comes together as a family to cheer on their team and hate on the one they’re playing. The tailgates do not disappoint, and nothing is comparable to a game day here.
5. The accents and phrases are a LOT different
I definitely had to get used to the accents, and words that I never used or even heard. For example, what I call a “shopping cart” my friend might call a “buggie.” I had to get used to new phrases like “I’m fixin’ to” and “kin,” and there’s definitely a lot of conversation about what words I use vs. what they use here. It gets a little hard for me to point out when people have a strong accent because I’m the outcast without one, but now “y’all” is in my everyday vocabulary.
There’s nothing like living in the south and the differences between home and here are what make each place better to go home to. The south is definitely a unique place of its own, and no matter where you’re from, it takes you into its arms and makes you feel like you’re home from the moment you got there.
