Growing up in Dallas, Texas, I never really spent much time in the country. Maybe a day here and there, but I never became accustomed to country life. So to change things up, this fall break, I decided to travel to Lubbock, Texas with a group of friends.
Now if you have never heard of Lubbock, the population of the city is around 249,000. So, it's clearly not a tiny town; yet, about 1/14 of the population is made up of students who attend Texas Tech University. So in comparison to Dallas, it is a small city. Not only that, though, but it is a very flat area. On the drive to Lubbock, there were hills, trees, and such for the first few hours. By the end though, I saw only a plethora of tumbleweeds and very flat land.
So, as interesting as my car ride was, I learned the most about being a city girl in the country within the first few hours of arriving. We went to a Texas Tech party that evening. If you know nothing about Texas Tech, then just know that they like to party hard and they are very southern.
Since I had spent six hours driving prior to the party, I decided to show up very casual. I threw on a flannel shirt and leggings. When I arrived at the Tech party, I learned that the plaid style is not just “casual,” it is a way of life. Everyone was wearing plaid. On the bright side, I didn’t stick out like a sore thumb?
I also learned that people actually do make their own moonshine in the country. I'm exactly sure of the proof, but I can tell you it is strong. My host friend made moonshine cherries, which, in reality, tasted like cherries soaked in nail polish remover. But apparently, his mother loves them just as much as he does!
Lastly, I learned that country people love. Their. Guns. I learned how to shoot at “22” (even though I am not exactly certain what it means). The guys I went with used other guns such as “84”s or something of the latter. I know nothing about guns except that you have to take the safety off to shoot them. Good thing I probably don’t need to know how to shoot a rifle if I plan on living in Dallas.
So my adventures in the country may not be that exciting, but I have learned a lot so far. I have learned that I am so happy we have trees and flowers everywhere in Dallas. It is a lot less depressing. It's also nice to have the sounds of hustling and bustling traffic outside my window, as it reminds me that there are other people in this world and they are all, in fact, alive. I just really enjoy being more connected in the city and with people than I do with nature. Some people were made for the beauty of concrete while others enjoy being constantly surrounded by flies.
