Being that I live in Virginia and go to school in the “South,” I often feel like a little goldfish who left their fishbowl and moved to another one. South Carolina is COMPLETELY different from Virginia.
1. Divided U.S.
Many individuals in South Carolina do not see the United States as a whole; but as the “North” and the “South”. I have had many individuals come up to me and say “Oh, you’re from the North.” When I heard the term “North” used for the first time, I thought they were referring to Canada. This language was very confusing to me because I have always seen the U.S. as a whole, not divided between the “North” and the “South.”
2. Manners
The term “yes, ma’am” is quite unfavorable among “Northern” women because it makes them feel old. Individuals instead resort to saying “yes” or “no,” but in a respectful manner. However, the “South” is really big on saying “yes, ma’am.” This cultural difference is quite difficult for me, as it would be so unnatural for me to say “yes, ma’am.”
3. Sayings
In the "South," they say "Bless your heart!" a whoooole lot. What does that even mean?
4. "Y'all" vs "You all"
If a person in the “North” were to say “y’all,” they would get a strange look. “You guys” is a term that we use. However, the “South” favors “y’all”. When first coming to SC, I thought it sounded funny when people would say “all y’all need to” or “y’all must have.” Even though I have been here for 3 months, I still find it funny.
5. Accents
The accent in the “South” is a real struggle for me. I have actually had problems understanding people when they talk. Example: “IIII haaave neeever seeeen thaaat muuuch graavaay in maaa liiife.”
6. Food
In the “North” individuals associate gravy with Thanksgiving. We put a little bit on our turkey and sometimes mashed potatoes, but in the “South,” gravy is a staple. Before coming to the “South”, I didn’t understand how it could be a staple since Thanksgiving is only once a year. Well, I quickly learned as to what individuals put gravy on: biscuits. I have never tried this, nor will I; however, I can respect this unique cultural difference.
I learned about this culture when I went to the dining hall. The dining hall is not very consistent in what they serve; however, they ALWAYS have biscuits and gravy during breakfast. It is often considered strange if one does not put gravy on his or her biscuit.
For example: During summer orientation at Anderson, I went to the old café to eat breakfast. One of the things I had on my plate happened to be a biscuit. My friend that I was eating with looked at my plate and noticed that there was no gravy on my biscuit. This subtle difference in culture led her to conclude that I was not from the “South." And she was right.
7. Fried Chicken
I am assuming that people in the "South" love fried chicken, as the dining hall has it every Sunday and occasionally throughout the week. In the North, you usually won’t see fried chicken unless you go to a country-themed restaurant.
8. Krispy Kreme vs Dunkin Donuts
"Southerners" love their Krispy Kreme donuts. While living in Virginia, I have seen one... maybe two Krispy Kreme's. They are not very popular. In the "South"...they are the bomb.com. At one time there have been three boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts in my residence hall. Talk about an obsession. In the "North," we like our Dunkin' Donuts. I once mentioned to a "southerner" that I liked Dunkin' Donuts better than Krispy Kreme and he gave me the hand...no joke.
9. Monograms
I have noticed that the "South" is very big on monograms. I have seen monogrammed jackets, laptop cases, shirts, bags and even boots. I was a little surprised when I first saw this because I wasn’t sure why somebody would want their name on all of their items…especially their shoes. What if they wanted to re-sell it?
10. Pageants
Living in the "North," I have always associated pageants with toddlers (from the show “Toddlers and Tiaras”) and the Miss America pageant. I don’t know why, but I didn’t think that pageants were a real thing outside of TV. Well, they are in the "South." As I have been told, schools often host pageants so students can compete in them. They are apparently a big hit. When Miss America aired a couple of months ago, all the girls in my building gathered in the lobby to watch it. I could hear them hooting and hollering from the other room. Least to say, the south loves their pageants.
Studying abroad in the "South" has taught me a lot about southern culture. Though it has been nice getting to spend a couple months down here, I am ready for a nice long break where I can return to the "North" before I come back to the "South" for another semester. Maybe I'll even try gravy on my biscuit next semester...or maybe not.
