As someone who’s lived in the same state her entire life up until college, it’s safe for me to say that living in Texas for the past semester has shaped me quite a bit. The culture here in Austin is pretty similar to where I’m from in California, but there’s a lot of things to adjust to, like the abundance of sweet tea and BBQ. I feel a great sense of solidarity with the other out-of-staters at UT, since there are so few of us; here are some things I know we’ve all experienced:
1. Never telling people the name of your real hometown.
If I told people I was from Santa Clara I’d be met with blank faces. No, I live in San Jose -- you know, that city about an hour’s drive away from San Francisco?
2. Sounding dumb because you’re not familiar with the local chains.
I had to ask someone what HEB (and pronounced it “heb”) was during my first week here and people looked at me like I was from a different planet.
3. Panicking about what to wear with thunderstorms and 90-degree weather in the same day.
They really weren’t kidding when they said you can experience all four seasons in a day. Shorts and rain boots it is...
4. Accidentally saying y’all for the first time and questioning who you are.
It just slipped out, and it’s so much faster than saying “you guys.”
5. Getting unnecessarily excited when you meet people from your state.
Even if you live all the way in SoCal, California is California. I’m always happy to reminisce about having an In-N-Out and better weather.
6. Having tears streaming down my face on the way to class because of Austin’s high pollen count.
No, I didn’t just have my heart broken or fail an exam; I just forgot my Zyrtec.
7. Never having to worry about surprise visits from your parents and them seeing the real you.
There is a very specific area of my room that I clean when I Skype my parents to give off the appearance of a clean room, neatly made bed, and put-together life.
8. Becoming more proud of your home state than you ever were before.
Whether it’s rooting for my home sports teams or being hella proud of the slang I grew up with, my love for California has only intensified after being away from it.
