As a Wisconsin girl moving to Tennessee, I have a lot to get used to. The south is like a whole new world. The vocabulary, the food, and the attitude are all so foreign. The cheese obsession becomes sweet tea, and the Culver's addictions become Chick-Fil-A.
So, if you're in the same boat, here are 11 ways to help integrate yourself into this whole new world.
1. Y'all
You can fight it as much as you want, but "y'all" will come from your mouth as soon as you set foot below the Mason-Dixon line. As much as your northern friends will make fun of you when you return home, you will never go back to the old, lengthy "you guys" expression. Embrace the shortcut.
2. Sweet Tea
Say goodbye to ripping open countless pink sugar packets to dump into your tea, because sweet tea is about to be your new normal. You will most likely drink it with every meal, and then some. They say Chick-Fil-A has the best sweet tea in all of the south, so trying that is a must. You will have to like it because ordering an unsweetened iced tea, is simply unacceptable.
3. Chick-Fil-A
Say goodbye to Culver's cheese curds, and hello to the mouth-watering waffle fries. Chick-fil-A will become your next addiction. Be prepared to work out every day so you can dive into your daily chick-n-strips. Next thing you will know, the butter burger will be completely forgotten.
4. Long T-Shirts
Your perfect size, will now be a size up. Wearing your t-shirt above the hem of your shorts is against the rules of the current southern fashion police. Your Wisconsin friends might question your style choices and you might get ridiculed when you come home for break. If you want to fit in down south, long t-shirts will be a staple in your wardrobe.
5.Country Music
While maybe one or two of your friends up north listen to country music in the summer, down south, country music is always ringing in your ears. Whether at a restaurant, or a gas station, country music is bound to be the soundtrack of your visit. Kendrick Lamar will switch to Luke Bryan and Taylor Swift will become Miranda Lambert.
6. Trucks
Most boys up north wouldn't be caught dead in a lifted pickup truck. But down here, the southern boys live in their pickup trucks. They'll probably blast country music, and drive around the country in their trucks embracing the laid-back lifestyle. You might even have to trade in your Honda Accord for a Ford F1-50.
7. The SEC
Aaron Rodgers and your beloved packers will never leave you heart, but down here you will have to make room for the SEC. Whether you cheer on the Volunteers or the Dawgs, you will have to give them your all. The SEC is no joke down here in the Southland. I know, you will always bleed green and gold, but at least show some love for the SEC, whichever team you choose.
8. Weather
The Wisconsin winter weather is no longer! You won't have to worry about getting frostbite after 30 seconds outside. You won't have to wear your ugly, huge parka everywhere you go, and you won't have to endure through five long months of unbearable temperatures. Snow days will happen at a much higher frequency, and you'll get more use out of your shorts that you never get to wear up here. If you're like me, the reason you gravitated down south is because of the weather.
9.Manners
You'll walk into a restaurant and they'll greet you with their usual warm southern welcome. They'll open the door for you, and they'll probably call you "sweetie" or "darlin'". It's not home, but they sure will make it feel like home. The people in Wisconsin are nice, but the southern people introduce you to a whole other level of nice. They teach 'em well down south.
10. Southern Brands
You probably have at least heard of Vineyard Vines or Simply Southern, but if you really want to adapt to the southern lifestyle, you might as well pick up a "shep shirt" or a Southern Tide t-shirt. These brands are found on a plethora of people down here, you stand out if you don't own at least one item.
11. Chacos
Everyone up north wears Birkenstocks. Everyone down South wears Chacos. You can get two straps, one strap, toe loop, or no toe loop. So many options, so you're bound to find a pair that fits your personality. The Birkenstocks were cool up in Wisconsin, but as soon as you land in the south, they lose their reputation and you'll be better off in your new more comfortable and more fashionable shoes.
Moving from the North to the South is a change that will take time to adapt to, but with the help of these tips, you might not feel so out of place in your new environment. Don't change too much, though. Your roots remain in the north, just like mine.
