When I tell people that I’m from a little city called Pensacola, Florida they assume one of three things:
- I’m actually from somewhere near Miami.
- I’m close to their Long Island grandparents’ summer house in Naples.
- I live next door to Disney World.
Sorry to burst your Florida bubble, but none of those things are true. Pensacola is on the Gulf Coast in the panhandle of Florida, and is (oddly enough) only thirty minutes from Alabama, so when I say both that, “Yes, I’m from Florida,” and, “Yes, I’m from the South,” I actually mean it—and yes, I do say “y’all”. It’s no secret that things are done a little bit different up here, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss my Southern roots.
Sweet Tea
Back home, I don’t think I ever go a full day without drinking a cold glass of sweet tea, and actually, I never realized people even drank unsweetened tea until I moved to Boston. It’s bitter and odd tasting. I’m not sure what the appeal is—someone will have to explain it to me one of these days. The closest thing to sweet tea I could find in our dining halls was Honest Tea’s {not so sweet} sweet tea, which wasn’t nearly as sweet as southern sweet tea, but hey, I was desperate. Well, last week they discontinued the sweet tea flavor and replaced it with the “Pomegranate Blue” flavor…I complained.
Relaxed Mindset
I lived on Newton Campus my freshman year and I was always so confused when people would sprint across campus to catch a bus when the next one would be coming in ten minutes—running with a backpack never looks normal. In the South, people take more time to enjoy the little things. I think that kind of mindset—that most things aren’t worth stressing over—has helped me avoid some pretty common anxieties here on campus. Another bus is coming. Don’t worry.
Cook-Outs (Plus all Southern food….it’s just better)
There’s nothing better than getting together all of your friends and family and cooking out in the backyard. I know it sounds lame, but grilled oysters, fried snapper, cheese grits, and fried okra is just about the best meal on the planet. Oh, and another thing – you know how raw oysters in Boston can cost up to $15.00 for a half dozen? In Pensacola, you get a whole dozen for $10.00—fresh from the Gulf. Don’t forget butter. There’s a lot of butter.
I’ve found that a lot of people up here are skeptical of Southern culture, but I guarantee you that a bite of gouda grits topped with blackened creole shrimp will have you saying “y’all” in no time.
Photo Sources:
http://media.thestate.com/smedia/2013/07/05/19/50/1SVj.AuSt.74.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/03/8e/9d/67/fish-house-atlas.jpg