Everyone loves the South. (Well, maybe not some of the North, but that’s a more complicated story.) It has some of the most inviting places in the country, and someone will always be there to make you feel welcome. Growing up in Louisiana, I definitely had my fair share of love, and also hate, relationships with growing up in the South. Now, living outside of the southern community I call home, I appreciate it more than I ever have. As my little love letter to the south, here are six of the reasons that make living here so great.
1. Celebrating almost always revolves around eating.
Okay, so not very diet friendly, but it makes the good times so much better. For every celebration or just the small wins, the first thing anyone from the south thinks of is food. Got all A’s for the semester? Canes for dinner. Your sister’s coming in town? Gumbo at your mom’s. Didn’t cry at school today? Date with a pint of Blue Bell. It doesn’t matter if it’s coming from the kitchen at your house or from your fast food guilty pleasure, a good meal is the best way to celebrate.
2. People really are as nice as they seem.
Smiling at strangers on the street and in the grocery store is an extremely common thing, and makes the community feel more like home. If you don’t say “you’re welcome” or don’t hold the door open for someone after you, your reputation won’t fare very well in the south.
3. Everything can be monogrammed. *Everything.*
Forget about getting your backpack or keys mixed up with your friend’s- you more than likely have your initials on them. These initials can be in the form of anything: on the backpack itself, on a keychain attached to it, or a Swell bottle in the pocket that dons your initials. Monogramming is a way of life.
4. People enjoy the simpler things in life.
The south is known for living at a slower pace than most of the north, and this is a great thing. The best parts of life are observed when we all slow down and take a minute to enjoy them. These pleasantries include sipping coffee in the comfiest chair in the house, or taking in the view from the porch while enjoying a rare cool breeze, or making sure to stop a friend and ask what’s been going on in their life. These activities are every-day occurrences down here.
5. Most people will know someone in your family, or at least your last name.
The first thing adults ask me when they learn my name, assuming they’re from the south, is who my dad is and where my family’s from. This also usually follows by he/she rattling off a list of people they know that have the same last name as me, until I say I know at least one of them (which most of the time I do). This is the same for most people in the south. Having a sense of familiarly and instant bond with people makes establishing relationships with strangers much easier, and helps in making connections that may be beneficial in the future.
6. People stand up for each other.
This can be seen in the recent natural disaster that devastated Louisiana and its residents. People in the south don’t stand by and watch as some of their own are hit with tragedy- they step in. I have witnessed this personally, from the most seemingly insignificant things as people leaving a small sum of money in a troubled neighbor’s mailbox, to bigger feats such as rescuing people trapped in their homes. If there’s one thing to be proud of if you’re from the south, it’s that no one leaves anyone behind.
