I go to college in the Midwest, only three hours away from where I'm from in KY, but there are still a lot of things that are different about life above the Mason-Dixon line. It's funny to compare my life with my friend from Michigan and other areas, especially when it comes to defining what "a lot of snow" is. Here are some struggles and points I've learned are unique to KY.
1. Nobody says "Louisville" right.
It's not "Louis - ville". I know that's how it's spelled, and probably how it was intended to be pronounced, but it's just wrong. You don't say 'Louis' like the name, Louis, it's just wrong. Only people outside of Kentucky say it that way.
2. Everyone hates UK.
(Because we're just so good at basketball..) I'm a huge University of Kentucky basketball fan, and I didn't realize until I left the state to go to college that everyone outside the state hates us. It's because we're actually the best team ever I''m pretty sure (but don't tell my Butler friends I said that). Although, the school itself shouldn't be hated, they actually have really great academic programs.
3. People in the Midwest say Kentucky is "Southern".
We're barely the South, if you're North of us, you're not from the South. End of discussion. You can be country or a hick, but you're not southern.
4. People ask why you do/don't have an accent.
I'm from Lexington, and I don't sound Southern, and I've been asked a million times at my Midwestern college why I don't. Half of Lexington sounds like they're from Alabama and the other half of us sound Midwestern. I couldn't explain why. Typically, the more in the country you are (aka, if you're not in Lexington or Louisville) the more likely you are to have an accent.
5. People ask if you own horses.
I did actually grow up riding horses, but I never owned one, and I was the odd one out at my high school. There are quite a few horse farms near my houses, and Keeneland is just down the road, but not everyone rides horses here, it's not a qualification to live in the state.
6. Ale 8 looks alcoholic.
Ale 8, a choice drink in KY, looks kind of like a beer. I had a friend get pulled over by a cop once in another state because he thought he was drinking and driving. It was just Ale 8. This is a small problem but I think it's hilarious that people don't know much about Ale 8.
7. Nobody can drive in the snow.
Kentucky gets a full four seasons, it is miserably hot outside today but we get serious snow and cold come December. The problem is, we don't get much snow. When it snows in Lexington, the whole city gives up. In high school, I got a snow day multiple times when no snow actually fell, they just called it off because they were scared it would snow. A light dusting of snow falls and the entire city gets too scared to leave their house.
Kentucky is a weird state, nobody from the South thinks we're Southern, but the Midwest wouldn't include us either. We're a confusing little border state with horses and Ale 8.