I grew up way below the Mason-Dixon line and my family on both sides are from very small towns in South Carolina. I've lived in the suburbs outside of Atlanta, Georgia, and in the rural town of York, South Carolina. Now, I attend the University of South Carolina where Southern culture is still heavily present, despite living in the state's capital and a metropolitan area.
My family drinks sweet tea, goes hunting and says "y'all." Actually, my family never said "y'all" until moving back to South Carolina. I used to pick up a Southern twang every summer when I visited family in York that my friends in Buford, Georgia, loved to hear.
Yet, I don't define myself as a "Georgia peach" or a Southern belle.
I'm not truly immersed in Southern culture nor do I completely understand it.
1. Country Music
It makes me cringe. I never spent time listening to it and I have never liked it. I don't enjoy the slow beats and the heavy country accents. Beer is gross and my idea of a good time is not standing in a field drinking beer. I can't relate to the lyrics.
2. Monograms
I don't understand why girls feel the need to put their initials on everything they own. Are they planning to lose it? Moreover, why is the last name in the middle? It's totally out of order. It's practical to put on luggage, but not the whole backside of a T-shirt.
3. Cowboy Boots
They look extremely uncomfortable and are not the prettiest to look at no matter how they are customized. They were designed for riding horses, not to tailgate in while paired with a cute dress.
4. Southern Sayings That Mean The Total Opposite
"Bless your heart" does not actually mean someone is blessing your heart. Southerners truly know how to deliver a backhanded compliment and how to be spiteful while still acting sweet. They, additionally, love to call someone or something "different" when they don't agree with it or find it bizarre.
5. Small Towns
Everyone knows everything, meaning everyone knows exactly what you and your family members are up to at all times. You're known by who you are related to and vice-versa. You will always be so-and-so's child or so-and-so's grandchild or even so-and-so's distance cousin twice removed. And you're judged by your family members' actions, as well. You're stuck with the same people you grew up with and don't get to experience much outside of your hometown.
6. Southern Cooking
It can be yummy, but casseroles that can be served for every meal of the day? Really? Hash brown casserole, green bean casserole, breakfast casserole, sweet potato casserole… the options are endless. It's not very exciting to attend a potluck where each person has brought a variation of a casserole, even for dessert.
7. The Confederate Flag
I never want to flaunt a flag from a war that was lost and for a confederacy that was never achieved or recognized. Not to mention, it is very controversial and is offensive to some groups of people.
8. NASCAR
Racing sounds cool and exciting, but driving in a circle for hours straight does not. And for those who love it, they say the most interesting part is the crashes — which is only a hazard of the so-called sport.
- 18 Signs You're A Northerner At A Southern University ›
- What Happens When Southerners Leave The South ›
- 11 Things You Know If You're A Southern Liberal ›
- 10 Southern Things That Northerners Do Not Understand ›
