Sometimes it can be hard to have state pride when you’re from West Virginia. Growing up, everyone is from the same place, making it easier to love your state. But when you get to college and meet new people, it can make you feel small in the midst of Long Islanders, Jersey Shore-ians (Shore-ites?), Virginia Beachers, or even people from Dubai and Malaysia. Coming across these people, your first thought might be, “Wow, sorry you’re here,” because you think they could be spending these years in much cooler places, but when you take a step back, you realize you’ve forgotten all those things about the Mountain State that gave you such child-like pride and excitement.
1. We have our own. Damn. Song.
Obviously you have to have state pride when you can scream a song about West Virginia at the top of your lungs! Take me hoooooooome…
2. The New River Gorge
The New River Gorge Bridge is an incredible feat of engineering in itself, but Bridge Day (October 17) is even more insane because people bungee jump off the bridge… West Virginians are brave af.
3. Experiencing every season
West Virginia falls in just the right region to fully experience every season. It can get up to 100 in the summer, but get below freezing in the winter, and it’s always beautiful no matter what month.
4. Driving Skills
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This isn’t something West Virginians realize until we leave the state. The backroads and curvy roads we learned how to drive on are our second nature, so when we go to other places where the speed limit on similar roads is 15 mph less than what we’re used to, or people go soooooo slooooow, our first instinct is to classify non-mountain people as driving amateurs.
5. The Mystery Hole
If you’ve never been here, it’s truly one of West Virginia’s hidden treasures. You won’t understand unless you’ve been, but this oddity on the road to Hawk’s Nest is full of physics-bending illusions you’ll only find here in the mountain state.
6. The Hatfield-McCoy Feud
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The age old question of who really stole the McCoy pig doesn’t matter when you’re a proud West Virginian (team Hatfield all the way, don’t fight me on this). If you haven’t seen the History Channel documentary, it should most def be on your Netflix queue. Especially if you plan on living in WV for four years.
7. The Greenbrier
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This resort is incredibly beautiful, and hosts one of the largest PGA tournaments every year. Not only is the Greenbrier just a resort, but during the 50s a bunker was built into it in case of war. Kind of creepy, mostly awesome.
8. WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
Saving the best for last, we all know WV’s pride and joy. WVU is an incredible university (with a hype party scene) that promotes success in everything you do. Although it’s tucked away in a state that’s often overlooked and under-appreciated, it brings together different types of people from all over to create its own melting pot on top of a mountain. WVU is special to all of us, and reminds us of why we love (and are proud of) our state.