It only takes nine wonderful characteristics to know that someone is from Maryland.
1. The accent. Everyone always tells me I have a slight accent. I beg to differ, but for the life of me, I cannot say, “Mary-Land.” I seem to naturally say “Merr-lin.”
2. Knowing where blue crab country is located. I wake up drooling from my day dreams. I dream of cloud shaped crabs, Old Bay flavored ice cream, and spending the day on the Chesapeake Bay. Trying to explain this to a non-Maryland native is a waste of time.
3. The Forest Gump movement. There are so many ways to eat crab; crab cakes, steamed crabs, Ccab dip, crab flavored Utz chips, crab sushi, deviled crab, crab nachos, crab salad... the list is endless.
4. Being a Redskins or Baltimore Ravens fanatic. The tension in the air can be cut with a knife. Regardless of what team you choose, Maryland knows football.
5. You own the flag print in clothing or sunglasses. We are all crazy about our state flag. Being from Maryland means you will forever, "Bleed Red and Yellow." I would have to say it for the rest of us Maryland natives, but I would rather put the Maryland flag outside my house then the American flag. Yes, I know, I am insane!
6. If you verbally complain about Ocean Sh*tty. Ocean City, Maryland may not be the most beautiful beach in the U.S., but as much as Marylanders talk negatively about it, we find ourselves missing it. We visit for every Fourth of July, Memorial Day weekend, at least for a week during the summer, and those random, “I have had enough of my real life, spontaneous beach trips.” The best part is that the childhood memories will never be forgotten.
7. Not caring about the capital of the country. I recently started to explore in the D.C. area, after 21 years of living five seconds away. Anyone who is not from Maryland assumes I have taken the White House tour and know where everything in D.C. is located. The truth is. I have only seen the White House once.
8. Southern or northern state argument: Being from Maryland will get you into a lot of arguments. A Marylander would rather die then agree that Maryland is not a southern state. Maryland, indeed, is a southern state. Georgia and South Carolina natives need to stop hassling us about being from the North.
9. Physical and mental identity crisis. We have mountains, farm land, city, and beaches. It is hard to say I am a country girl, when I have an inner city soul. During the summer, I tend to turn into a beach hippie and a mountain climber. I cannot choose one because Maryland gives me the best of both worlds.
I did not choose to be born in Maryland, but one thing is for sure, I am never leaving.
