The education rate may be low and the obesity rates high, but Louisiana sure takes top spot when it comes to partying. From the diverse people to the genuine cuisine, no other place compares to the Bayou State. Here are 30 things you recognize if you're so fortunate to call Louisiana home.
1. You get out of school for hurricane days; not snow days.
Hurricane season is no joke for us in the south and you can bet that we can spend days on end without class when the threat of a storm approaches.
2. You put Tony's or Tabasco on EVERYTHING.
Tony's and Tabasco are the spices of choice. They make every meal, and you find yourself reaching for them when you need a little punch. Eggs, pizza, crawfish, and so much more are so much better with a little Tabasco sauce or Tony's seasoning.
3. You roll your eyes when someone out of state complains about humidity.
You may think you have it bad, but you've obviously never sweated through your shirt just from sitting on the porch. Also, ask them Louisiana gals how they feel about their hair in the morning.
4. You've ever woke up to go hunting before school.
Some of the boys from my local high school have been known to wake up hours in advance of the 7:13 a.m. bell just to get in a couple of hours of hunting.
5. You have purchased a daiquiri from a drive-thru daiquiri shop.
A purely Louisiana speciality. The drive-thru daiquiri shops are a staple of the Louisiana lifestyle. They are as common as gas stations down here.
6. You pronounce Natchitoches, Atchafalaya, Opelousas, and Pontchartrain easily with no hesitation.
7. You can tell which part of Louisiana a person is from their accent.
The town can be a hundred miles away or even ten minutes down the road; either way you'll still have completely different accents.
8. You realized later on that Mardi Gras is not a "get out of school" holiday for every other state.
That's right. We get three days off to party it up.
9. When meeting someone new you always ask where they attended high school.
10. You're grandparents are called Maw Maw and Paw Paw.
Grandpa and Grandma? No, that's my Maw Maw and Paw Paw.
11. Crawfish is a delicacy.
You may call it a bug, but we call it a little bit of heaven on Earth.
12. Someone from up north has commented on the amount of times you say "y'all" in one sentence.
Once, while in Canada, someone told me that they've never heard y'all used so many times in one sentence. They actually believe I said y'all more in one hour than they've heard in their lifetime.
13. You may not speak it fluently, but you know all the good insults and slang in Cajun French.
Pauve ti bete, laissez les bons temps rouler, ca c'est bon, joie de vivre, beck moi tchew, and etc.
14. It's a great feat to have a house above sea level.
It is quite rare that you find a home above sea level in Louisiana. More likely than not the feat is achieved by raising your house yourself to keep the flood waters out.
15. You may not watch football, but you know to have a team to root for.
The Saints, Tigers, or Ragin' Cajuns are the teams of choice. You don't have to watch the game, but at least make show at the tailgating and cheer on the team.
16. "Aw sha!" is your compliment of choice.
Typically spelled as "cher", it is the usual way of saying "Aw, cute." Some may mistake you saying this for calling them Cher, as in the singer, though.
17. You attend festivals 24/7.
Louisiana, the festival capital of the world. Festivals range from everything from music and shrimp to omelettes and crawfish.
18. "Take My Hand" and "Tupelo Honey" are played at EVERY SINGLE WEDDING you attend.
NO LIE. We have local celebrity and grammy winner Wayne Toups to thank for these hits and wedding playlist favorites. Young ones know these tunes from an early age.
19. Wedding? Graduation? Funeral? Hurricane? Mais no, that's just an excuse for a party.
No reason, big or small, can keep Louisiana natives from a party. We celebrate the good and bad because it is all apart of life. Sometimes we even like to celebrate someone's life.
20. You go to Acadian Village at least once every Christmas.
If you're from the Lafayette area or near then sometimes you are lucky enough to go at least twice.
21. You have learned to detest Alabama.
You have no choice, really.
22. Your everyday slang is questioned once you step foot out of the state.
"I'm fixin' to save my clothes." I've uttered that sentence thousands of times to my mom when she yelled at me to put my clothes away. Also, someone may not know what it is to "boo day" or "come see" I've learned when out of state.
23. One of your biggest fears are the big roaches because you know they fly.
Tourist may know them as Palmetto bugs but to us they are the stuff that nightmares are made of.
24. Everything ends in -Eaux.
Our own version of go, geaux. Last names, Primeaux, Boudreaux, Comeaux, etc.
25. A day on the water is a day well spent.
We aren't known as the Bayou State for nothing. Whether we are checking the crawfish traps, crabbing, fishing, tubing or just taking the boat out for a spin being on the water is always a relaxing form of entertainment. It's really a way of life.
26. No other food compares to that of Louisiana.
You're not living until you've tasted the genuine cuisine of Louisiana. It's hard to pass up a good gumbo or rice and gravy.
27. Thankfully the amazing food makes up for the terrible roads.
The best food in America. The worst roads in America.
28. The rain will flood EVERY road and/or walking path possible.
29. Someone has asked if you wear shoes to school and if you take the pirogue to school.
Well, if the roads keep flooding like they do then I'll HAVE to take my pirogue to school.
30. You're proud to call Louisiana home.
Yes, there may be some bad, but the good outweighs the terrible. All in all, us Louisiana natives are proud to be from such a resilient, breathtaking place.
