For the large majority of people living in the United States, Kansas is about as irrelevant of a state as the extra cost for guac is at Chipotle. The only real connection people can make between themselves and Kansas is the infamous Wizard of Oz, which most people have never actually seen themselves. But, for those of us that were born and raised there, Kansas is what we call home. It is also what we blame for all of our so-called "quirks", which are direct indications of how one can tell they belong to the Sunflower State. Here are 11 ways to tell that you are a true Kansan:
1. You say "pop" instead of "soda" and "you guys" instead of "y'all"
The thing with Kansans is that we are constantly in an identity crisis. Located directly in the middle of America, we border southern states but aren't "southern" ourselves, and we are ferociously against anyone considering us northerners too. Midwestern is the word most commonly used to identify our state, but it is also used to identify states that we typically don't categorize ourselves with, such as Colorado, New Mexico, etc. Because of this confusion, our dialect is a mixed up mess that many people don't understand. To true southerners, we sound just like people in the north, and to those living up by Canada, we have a thick southern twang.
2. You know the distinctions between being a Wildcat and a Jayhawk
The biggest battle you ever got into growing up was whether K-State or KU is better. K-State is better at football, but KU dominates in basketball. Jayhawkers think that only dumb country folk go to K-State, and Wildcats are convinced everyone at KU is a snooty rich kid from Johnson County. Whatever side you're on, you will still (hopefully) root for the other school over any other college in the country.
3. The majority of your free time in high school was spent cruising along country roads
Some of my favorite memories from high school revolve around listening to the radio with my friends while driving around the outskirts of our small town. Since Kansas is primarily made up of small towns, the majority of us had zero opportunities for entertainment unless it was an event orchestrated by the school or going to the movie theater if there was one nearby.
4. You've spent an ungodly amount of time at bonfires
The only other source of entertainment was going to "parties", which were typically bonfires hosted in someone's pasture every Friday and Saturday night. This was possibly the only reason you made any friends from nearby towns, as there is no way you could have a successful party with just a handful of people from your own high school.
5. Your hometown always has an annual festival that was your favorite time of year
In the town of Erie where I was raised, we call this event the Old Soldiers and Sailors Reunion, or Bean Week. It's a weeklong event in July that includes a rodeo, kid's night, a concert, various high school reunions, and the most important attraction of all - the city-wide bean feed. With my summers typically consisting of lazy days spent grabbing pops from the local Pete's One Stop and gossiping with my best gal pals, Bean Week was the one thing I could consistently count on to be full of fun and excitement.
6. You understand the "complex" dynamics of Kansas City
Outsiders really don't get that Kansas City is a town spit between two states - Kansas and Missouri. They especially are confused when you tell them that each half of this city is completely different from the other half. On the Kansas side, you'll find the wealthier, boring part that really is just made up Overland Park and some other nice shopping areas. As for the Missouri side, that is where the true culture and inspiration is. It is also the location of all the pro sports teams in KC, as Kansas actually has no pro teams of its own. GO ROYALS!
7. Your mama taught you manners and you're proud of it
Probably one of the best things about Kansas is its overwhelmingly welcoming people. You will hardly find someone that is just outright rude, because we grew up being told to be nice to strangers, unlike some of our friends on the coasts.
8. The Wizard of Oz is dead to you
Yes, we all watched it as kids. Yes, we all probably dressed up like at least one of the characters for Halloween at some point in time. No, I don't think your jokes referencing it due to my ties to KS every time I leave the state are funny or original.
9. You know that Kansas is more than just a fly-over state
What most people don't realize is that Kansas is kind of a big deal. We produce the most wheat in the entire U.S., so you're welcome. We also have a city called Hutchinson built on one of the richest salt deposits in the entire world (aka the home of Morton's Salt). The first female mayor in the United States was Susan Salter in Argonia, KS, in 1887. Kansans also invented the dial telephone, the helicopter, and most importantly, the first frozen carbonated drink machine. The first woman to receive a pilot's license, Amelia Earhart, was a Kansan, along with Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States. Last but not least, Kansas is the home of the first Pizza Hut, one of the largest fast-food chains in the world.
10. The pronunciation of the names of towns in Kansas make sense to no one but you
On more than one occasion, you have had to correct someone trying to pronounce Olathe as Oh-lay-thee, when it is actually Oh-lay-thuh. Same suite follows for towns like Nevada, which we pronounce as Na-vay-duh instead of Na-vad-uh. Then there is the city that actually confuses both Kansans and non, which is Osawatomie. Even Wikipedia isn't sure about that one.
11. Your Kansas pride is never-ending
No matter where you are, you always leave a bit of your heart in Kansas. Sometimes we are disappointed in our state, whether it be due to politics, a tragic event or just our irritation with the lack of scenery when driving through it, but no matter what we stay loyal and true. Kansas, with its ' vast fields and lack of phone service, really is a gem filled with real family values and some of the best food you'll ever have the pleasure of eating.
If you meet all of these criteria, congrats, you're a part of some of the best people in the world. If you didn't then I just feel sorry for you.
