Ah, Dyersburg, Tennessee, my hometown. Home to more than 17,000 people, as well. It’s a small town in West Tennessee that houses the best Mexican restaurant in the world – El Patio.

But I’m not here to just talk about the infamous white cheese dip that us Dyer-rians can drink by the bowl load. I’m here to share with you the six signs that you attended Dyersburg High School.

And so we begin.

1.You wore tennis shoes on “Turkey Day.”

Turkey Day was a holiday at Dyersburg High School. And tennis shoes were required – if you wanted some, at least.

Turkey and the traditional Thanksgiving sides were served for lunch during the week of Thanksgiving. It got everyone in the holiday spirit.

Now, I’m no turkey connoisseur, but let me just tell you, it must’ve been the best turkey in West Tennessee because of the reaction evoked from the students.

Twenty minutes prior to each lunch period, a turkey call would blare out over the intercom reminding the students of what was to come.

Then the lunch bell rang and hell all broke loose. Students flew down the staircases to be the first in line for DHS’s famous turkey lunch.

I don’t even like turkey, but, boy, did I run like a stampede was after me to get to that turkey.

I think I mainly ran because I wanted to be first. But that’s not the point.

So if you find yourself getting ready to run when you hear a turkey call, then yes, you went to DHS.

2. Drama had a whole different meaning – and you LOVED it.

Living in a small town comes with drama, especially if you’re in high school. But I’m not talking about your typical drama. I’m talking about theatre. That’s right, high school theatre.

Being a part of Dyersburg High School drama was huge. Whether you did makeup and hair, set the lights, acted in a scene or took theatre class, you loved the drama.

High school plays were performed over a whole weekend, and the school year ended with a drama party for all cast and crew that entailed dancing and getting your Sprite or Coke out of a kiddie pool. Odd sounding, I know, but that is the one thing I remember about the high school drama party, strangely enough. And it was getting my Sprite out of a kiddie pool filled with ice.

Drama wasn’t always about the plays though. Participating in Mrs. Chris’s theatre class was the shit, from what I’ve heard. That was the one elective at DHS that everyone wanted to be in.

Standing on that stage, making friends backstage and learning about yourself were all things I did while participating in high school drama.

Driving by DHS during theatre time nowadays is still the same. I look forward to seeing the handmade marketing materials for the play. And that excitement over drama can still be felt in everyone who went, and currently goes to DHS.

We live for Mrs. Chris’s drama.

3.You knew that Coach Branum met Sheryl Crow – even if you didn’t have Coach Branum as a substitute teacher.

Everyone loves substitute teacher days. That means no work for us ‘over-worked’ high school students.

However, having Coach Branum as your substitute teacher was a real treat.

Coach Branum had stories for days. He had stories about fights. He had stories about his glory days. He had funny stories about growing up. And of course, he had the Sheryl Crow story.

Whenever you had Coach Branum as a sub, he would tell you about the time he met Sheryl Crow in Missouri pronounced as ‘Miz-ZUR-ugh.’ He could’ve personally told you the story 19 times, but by God, you’ll hear it one more time.

Coach Branum passed away almost a year ago, but students will never forget him or his legacy.

I was one of the few students who hated substitute teacher day, because I like taking notes and learning.

But Coach Branum was different. I always looked forward to hearing his hilarious stories and repetitive celebrity encounters.

What I wouldn’t do to hear one more.

So if you think of Coach Branum when you hear that classic Sheryl Crow song, then you, too, my friend, attended DHS.

4.“Debbie” wasn’t just a lady’s name.

If you attended DHS between 2004 and 2008, you encountered my graduating class.

Every class has them: the class clown, the nerd, the athlete, the drama kid, the know-it-all, the drama queen. However, my class was made of a special breed.

I don’t remember this phase starting until senior year, but boy did it take off.

Typically, well actually, always, when you hear “Debbie” you think of a nice old lady who’s going to play “Go Fish” with her friends. But if you knew the class of 2008, “Debbie” didn’t mean that.

No matter what time of the day, several of the guys in my grade would scream “Debbie” throughout the hallways. Everyone always looked at them like, “WTF?” but after a while, it became a classic. You expected to hear, “Debbie,” screamed between classes. Or at the horrible math teacher. Or just anytime really.

Sure, it sounds ridiculous if you never heard it, and even as I type this, it sounds ridiculous. But I can’t help but to laugh. I can see the guys now greeting each other with “Debbies” all around.

I remember coming home one day and my brother asking me what those guys meant by screaming “Debbie.” And I never had an answer. I still don’t. But it was just funny.

So, yes, you went to Dyersburg High School if hearing the name “Debbie” makes you chuckle.

5.You learned not to cuss at pep rallies.

Ah, the infamous DHS pep rally. Where every freshman gets teased because they royally butcher the battle cry. But don’t worry, I’m not here to point fingers at any certain freshman class. I’m here to reminisce about the infamous 2006 basketball Homecoming pep rally.

I was a sophomore, and in the best graduating class if I say so myself. We were loud, obnoxious, funny, smart, athletic, all-knowing, competitive and proud of it.

Each Homecoming DHS would host a Homecoming Week that ended on Friday with each class competing against the other. Freshman would battle against the juniors and sophomores against the seniors. One battle was the yelling competition -- whoever yelled the loudest when their class was pointed to, won. We also had a basketball team of sophomores compete against the senior’s team. Now I can’t remember what we won, if anything, but it was all about winning.

I remember our team competing against the seniors, and something made us mad. Either bad calls, or we lost and were bad sports, but whatever happened, it wasn’t good.

So after the basketball game, we have the yelling competition.

Now it’s our turn to yell. Instead of yelling and cheering for the Trojans, our mascot, we yelled, “EFF THE SENIORS!!” over and over. Yes, you read that correctly. Us measly little 15 and 16 year olds yelled the worst cuss word in the world across the gymnasium in front of school officials.

Let’s just say pep rallies were G Rated after that.

So if you find yourself wanting to cuss during a basketball game, and fear the wrath of Mrs. Worley, then yes, you more than likely went to DHS.

6.You know what comes after Flint and Chattahoochee.

Last, but certainly not least, is Coach Durbin. Coach Durbin was the teacher I learned most from in high school.

I looked forward to every class of his because I knew I would learn something that wasn’t just important to memorize for a test, but it was something I could learn and carry with me for my future education.

He definitely challenged his students, but I would look forward to class every Friday so I could rush to the “list” on his wall to see if I got the highest grade on the test.

In his class, I learned about social geography, state and country capitols and the infamous river system that runs through Georgia.

So sing it with me, “Flint, Chattahoochee, Apalachicola.” Yes, if you knew the rest of that jingle, then you went to Dyersburg High School.

Making it through high school is often tough for teenagers. I had my tough moments, too. But I love looking back on these above mentioned times and laughing.

From cussing at school functions, to storming the lunch ladies and hearing about Sheryl Crow are all memories from DHS.

Do you remember the infamous six?

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