No matter where I go across the country, a lot of people can tell, for some reason, that I am from California. Us Californians can't see it, but we stand out like a sore thumb according to others.
Now that I live in Washington and am going to school at Washington State University, I find out more and more each day that I am definitely, with no question, a California girl. I'm sure a lot of other people can agree if they live in a completely different atmosphere than what they are used too. Especially coming from the sunshine state to one that only sees it a couple times a year.
Here are some definite signs that will assure you are from California:
1. Thinking that Ugg boots and a hoodie is sufficient enough for winter clothes.
When I moved from southern California to eastern Washington, I thought that my Ugg boots were going to be perfect snow shoes. Well, at least until I had my share fair of fall-on-the ice-because-there-is-no-traction-at-the-bottom-of-the-boot. I had to learn and figure out a whole new wardrobe to be able to survive a "real" winter because Washington gets all four seasons and California has pretty much nice weather all year long besides a couple of rainy days here and there. (which we need more of right now)
2. When you can tell if someone is from northern California or southern California.
Sometimes it feels like northern and southern Cali are two different states. You can a lot of the time tell if someone is from NorCal or from SoCal by the way they talk. You don't hear too many people from SoCal saying "hella" or "heck" very often. The weather is also very different. In southern California, we usually have sunny days and winters aren't too bad. However in northern California, they get snow and in some areas like the Bay area, can be foggy a lot of the time.
3. You consider 60 degrees or below FREEZING.
During my first "real" winter in Washington, I nearly almost froze to death once it got into the 20's and 30's and people would always say "just wait Taylor until it starts to snow". It took me a long time to adjust to what a "real" winter's temperature is supposed to be like. A lot of my friends always make fun of me because I get a frustrated when it rains or snows, and they call me a "typical Cali girl". When I first moved here to Washington, I would see girls outside sunbathing in like 60 degrees. That is not warm weather at all where I come from but when ever the sun is out and its around that temperature, its an excuse to bring out the bathing suit and tanning lotion I guess.
4. You're the best F****** driver around!
All my friends from Washington say I am a horrible driver because I drive too fast or too crazy. Where I come from, you have to own the road: to get anywhere takes a decent amount of time. I shave at least 20 minutes off a commute through traffic with my skills. I always tell myself, If I can drive through the 405 or 210 or 5 freeways in Los Angeles, then I can make it anywhere.
5. Being deprived from a "real" beach.
One of the hardest things I had to get over when I moved from CA to eastern WA was that I would have no beach to go to. That place is like my second home. When ever I needed time to myself and take a walk, I would just walk to the beach with my dog Molly. Or if it was a nice day, some friends and I would have a BBQ and do some boogie boarding. When I was younger, my family and I would go out there and catch sand crabs and I would bring them to school on show and tell day. It is a perfect place to go at the last minute and know you will have a good time.
6. Always getting asked if you see celebrities around a lot.
I've always been asked if I live near celebrities or if I see them out and around Hollywood. People assume that just because you are from California you live next door to the Kardashians or Leonardo DiCaprio (I had to throw in a picture of him wearing a Coug hat). But that's not the case at all. The population of California is currently 38.8 million, so it's not as common as you think. Sometimes I just have fun with it and just go along with what they are saying.
7. Trying to satisfy your In-N-Out addiction with a somewhat decent burger joint because nothing compares.
How could I not mention In-N-Out Burger. Every Californian knows how the pain when leaving for an extended period of time and knowing you won't be in distance one for a while. It has been a tradition since I left for college that every time I arrive in LAX I go down the street a couple of blocks and order a #2 with a strawberry lemonade no matter what time I fly in, because they are open until 2 am everyday. But if you are a regular, you know of their secret menu! I am always shocked when I meet people who either have never had a burger from there or even worse, have never heard of it before. All I can say is that they were deprived as a child.
No matter how ridiculous or weird people might think California or the people from there are, you know that all you need in life is an In-n-Out burger, the smell of the ocean breeze, and suddenly everything feels like home.
