We all know there’s something special about Texas. It’s not the sweet tea, the big sky or even that beautiful, stubborn Texas attitude we all seem to have. It’s a combination of all those things. You can’t put your finger on it but it’s really just the spirit of Texas. When you leave, you know you’re going to be miss it, but there are certain things you find out that you didn’t expect
1. Football somehow isn’t as important outside of Texas:
In Texas in the fall, everyone’s weekend revolves around the game, whether that be high school, college or the Texans or Cowboys. Whole cities shut down for it. And if your team wins a national championship, there’s celebrating in the streets to rival V-Day. Outside of Texas though, it’s not as big of a deal at all. If you stay in the South there’s some football, but you won’t find the same dogmatic loyalty and reverence we have. Plus, when the conversation gets awkward, no one can say “So how ‘bout them Cowboys?”
2. Your friends are tired of you talking about Texas:
At home, the statement “Texas is not only the greatest state in the union, but probably the best place on Earth” is taken as fact. But at school, your friends will roll their eyes when you start talking about how amazing Texas is, Texas history or start any sentence with “well in Texas…”. Not that this stops you. You know Texas is special, and you’re determined everyone else should know too.
3. It’s OK when you and other Texans trash talk Texas, but people from other states can’t.
Look, we do say Texas is perfect, but we also know, deep down, that we have a lot of issues. No one’s happy with Texas politics 100 percent of the time, and, though we’d never admit it to anyone outside of Texas, we all have problems with parts of Texas culture. When I go home, my friends and I can complain about these all day long, but if any of my friends from school has a problem with Texas, I shut them down fast. Mostly by just saying “Texas is the most amazing place in the world and you will never understand because you’re not from Texas” loudly and repeatedly.
4. You have a strong bond with Sandy Cheeks.
Before I left Texas, the only cartoon rodent I identified with was Minnie Mouse, but the longer I’ve been out of Texas, the more I feel for Sandy. Poor squirrel has to live under the sea with two best friends who not only aren’t from Texas, but actively make fun of Texas (not cool, Patrick and Spongebob). We feel you Sandy. We too miss the wide open skies, BBQ and pecan pies.
5. Things you thought to be universal are actually unique to Texas.
Sure you knew that non-Texas probably don’t know how to two-step, but it turns out there’s a whole list of things only Texans do. Like apparently homecoming mums aren’t a thing outside of Texas. How are you supposed to know it’s homecoming if girls aren’t walking around with wreaths and streamers covering their entire body? And children can celebrate their birthdays without a piñata. How? That was by far the best part of birthday parties as a kid. You get to hit something with a stick and candy comes out.
6. The food just isn’t the same.
No matter how much much good food you try in your new state, you know it will never be the same. It’s not that it it’s bad, it just isn’t Texas food. And your friends will inevitably make you go get Mexican food or barbecue with them, which is just so disappointing. Even if you do still live in a border state with good, authentic Mexican food, it’s not Tex Mex, and it never will be. The barbecue tastes wrong, too. They might tell you it’s “Memphis style” or something equally ridiculous, but you know in your heart that it just can never measure up to Texas.
7. No matter where you go, Texas is home.
You can live somewhere else, and you can love your new state, but it will never be home. That will always be our wonderful Lone Star State. When you cross the state line, or when your plane touches down, you just feel so much better, so much more comfortable, so much more at home. There’s just something magical about Texas that makes us love it so much.
