I am a firm believer in many things (like breakfast should be served 24/7!), but at the top of the list would be my home state. Louisiana is home to some of the most kind, most diverse, and most energetic people I have had the opportunity to encounter. Being from a state that is most known for a hurricane and a holiday, stereotypes are bound to be thrown around. Trust me, I HAVE heard them all, and some hold a small amount of truth. But do not believe everything you hear about us folks in the south!

1. I've never been hunting.

I know this must come as a shock to all the Duck Dynasty lovers, but not everyone in Louisiana goes hunting on a daily basis! Especially in south Louisiana, it is common for a group of guys to get together and go catch frogs or shoot ducks for dinner, but not everyone finds pleasure in being out in the wilderness for hours, searching for food that you could have bought at Walmart instead.

2. I make good grades.

I’m not exactly sure how this stereotype started, but I’m sure The Waterboy didn’t help our case. Not everyone in Louisiana has an IQ below 30.

3. The weather is just as bad as it sounds.

Summers in Louisiana are the worst. It’s over 100 degrees during the day, and it’s humid all the time. Even small tasks, like going get the mail, can cause you to sweat buckets. Fall isn’t much better because in the morning it starts to feel really nice, but by the afternoon you’re taking off your yoga pants and North Face jacket and switching them for Nike shorts and a tank top. Louisiana winters is just a delayed fall because it never gets below 30 degrees, and it lasts about three days. Spring is the best time of the year because you have pounds of crawfish to make you forget how hot you are.

4. Mardi Gras IS my favorite holiday.

What’s better than getting a big group of friends together and hanging out? Getting a big group of friends together and hanging out in one of the greatest cities in the state with millions of other people. We get a vacation from work and school just to go out and catch beads from a few costumed (and probably drunk) people. Plus, there is an added bonus of getting all the Randazzo’s king cakes you can eat! It’s an ideal way to spend time off.

5. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

There have been plenty of instances where I have wanted to pack up and leave my small town, but then I remember what a beautiful place I live in. Everywhere you turn there is art, history, music, and excitement. Strangers talk to strangers with ease, and you always have an invitation to Sunday dinner. We talk a little too loud, and we laugh a little too much, but you are bound to remember the people you meet in Louisiana.

Be proud of where you come from, because there is no other place like it!