I have grown up in the small town of Chelsea, Alabama and when people from out of the state ask me where I from, I'll usually just say Birmingham. It's not that I'm embarrassed of my home town, it's the fact that most people didn't know Chelsea existed. As I get closer to moving away, I've started to appreciate all the little quirks of my town and all the memories that go along with it. If you grew up in a small town in the South, you can probably relate.
1. High Schoolers hang out in parking lots on Friday nights.
I'm not the one to be found every night at the Winn Dixie parking lot, but a large part of my peers are. Every town has their hangout spot and our local grocery store is the main one. I don't know what the appeal is but I guess people can find fun anywhere! If you live around Birmingham, you are familiar with the mass of pickup trucks in the Lee Branch parking lot.
2. The mass of pickup trucks mentioned before travel in packs.
The entire school parking lot is full of lifted trucks and the drivers of these vehicles like to stick together. Every morning before school I see a group of boys in camo park their truck and walk into school together. No hate to good ole boys, but maybe try not to rev them every afternoon upon school dismissal.
3. Your teacher probably taught your mom and dad.
My parents grew up outside of Chelsea, but many of my friends have shared teachers with their parents. We have a lot of teachers at Chelsea who have been there forever, and they probably taught several your mom, your dad, you, and will teach your siblings.
4. And your teacher is probably a coach.
I always thought having a majority of my teachers holding a coach title was normal until someone told me theirs didn't. Just this school year, four of my teachers are coaches and in the past years of high school I've had many more. Some I wasn't quite sure what they taught, but we called them coach anyways.
5. School dances take place in the gym.
Or in my school's case, the lobby. All four of my homecoming dances have been here, with all the kids packed into one small section of the entire room. I'm not sure why people find this enjoyable, but I learned to tolerate it. At least it was acceptable to go barefoot because I wouldn't have lasted very long if not for that.
6. A grocery trip is just as much a social opportunity as a dinner out.
The one time you venture into Walmart with no makeup and your hair looking crazy is the time you see everyone you know. And it's usually the people you would want to fix your appearance for. Just don't make eye contact and maybe they won't say hey! But everyone in the greater Birmingham area knows not to eat at Moe's unless they want to see at least three familiar faces.
7. Friday nights in the fall are for football.
There's some alliteration for you. During football season, football really is the most important thing. Friday Night Lights are anticipated and if you aren't at the game, be prepared for the judgment. Hey even if you don't enjoy the sport, who can pass up a pep rally.
Though I may make fun of all the stupid traditions my town has, this is going to be cheesy, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I have never felt closer to anyone than my class and I truly will miss seeing them (ok a select few) next year. Thank you Chelsea for giving me the greatest childhood.
And it's a great day to be a hornet.
