We go to a school in the Midwest that has a very Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic presence. As two girls who grew up in the South, we find there are very few people who had our experience. We feel that the South is not truly known or appreciated for all that it is. So, we wanted to create a list of important aspects that differentiate a southern upbringing to that all these Yanks.
1. Southern Hospitality
If you have ever been to Gabrielle’s or my room, you will often find us asking if you need anything. If you are at one of our parties, we will offer you food ten out of ten times. Often, people are taken back by this, considering we are both college students, not suburban moms having neighbors over for wine and cheese. However, this is how we were brought up. From a young age, we were taught how to make others feel welcome and to put our guest’s needs first. Across Southern culture, if you enter anyone’s home, they will greet you warmly and make sure that you are taken care of. If you come back to our room after reading this article, hopefully, you will not have a surprised look on your face when we are playing “the host” at our parties.
2. Monograms/Wardrobe
Ahh yes, one of the most defining elements of southern culture, our wardrobes. On college campuses down South, you are likely to find sorority girls with over-sized t-shirts and Nike shorts on, while males sport vineyard vines shirts and pastel colored shorts. Many non-southerners would view this look to be “pretentious”, however, we have become accustomed to every shade of pastel without a second thought. This is just how it goes down south. Imagine if we wore the same things we do back home on campus at Kenyon. Talk about sticking out like a sore thumb.
3. The SEC
While many Kenyon student’s high school friends applied to all the Ivies, our friends applied to many SEC football schools. There simply is nothing like SEC football. These huge state schools down South revolve around football. Football games and tailgates are your weekend activity. It’s about having a good time, y’all. Just because we are at Kenyon, does not mean that we do not love our SEC friends. Truly we love you all.
4. Sweet Tea
Margo Minor’s favorite topic of discussion. If you want to get her triggered, ask Margo her opinion of Peirce’s sweet tea. According to her, there is a right way for sweet tea to taste and then there is non-sweet tea. If the sugar is not dissolved, you are not making sweet tea. If you are lost on how to make sweet tea, Margo recommends Gold Peak Sweet Tea as the best bottled sweet tea. She has tried every kind since moving to Ohio.
5. Politeness/Manners
At the top of our vocabulary is yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir and no sir. While we may be almost twenty years old, anyone older than us deserves this level of respect when asking us a question. This is to the point of confusing many Kenyon professors and staff who are not used to this. We still have yet to decide at what age we should try to make a conscious effort to stop doing this.
6. Y’all
There is no greater word then y’all. It can be used in a variety of different conversations and is gender inclusive. Who would not want to use a word that is so easy and universal?
7. Church
There are churches everywhere in the South, (Gabrielle lives down the street from a block that has three different churches on it) and you can bet that is where your friends are on the weekends. If it’s not church, then it’s youth group. There is no point in trying to make plans with them before 12:00 pm.
8. Waffle House
There are Waffle Houses everywhere. In fact, we have a nickname for Waffle House; WaHo. Those yellow signs dot the side of every southern highway and inevitably become a common meet-up place for people. We do not know why.
9. Southern Boys and their Mommas
There is nothing a Southern boy loves more than his mama. In their eyes, there is nothing that she can do wrong. She is perfect to them. It is an extremely difficult relationship to navigate. If their mom does not like you, well, then we wish you the best of luck. You have found yourself in an extremely difficult relationship. Our best advice is to be friendly towards their mom from early on. She can be your closest ally and advocate or your biggest enemy.
10. Food
Everything is fried and generally shared around the family.
11. Southern passive aggressive shade
The way you know you’re being dissed in the south is by hearing one of two phrases: “bless your heart” or “we’re praying for you”. These phrases are often used as follows; “No the sharpest tool in the shed, bless his heart” and “We heard about your brother getting in trouble! We’re praying for you.” Gossip is spread and shade is thrown behind sweet smiles.
12. FLORIDA PAST THE PANHANDLE IS NOT THE SOUTH
Northerners retire in the panhandle. Florida has no Southern culture, and we do not claim them. Further south does not equal more southern.
13. There are many types of South
There is a belief that all of the South is the same. However, every state, city, and town have their own culture and quirks. The two parts of the South we represent are incredibly different; Atlanta is a huge commuter city with a large diverse population. It is a business hub and is arguably the capital of trap music. Williamsburg is a far smaller town, with a great deal of important American history and colonial architecture, and it has an important military presence.
The list above are some fun things we all have in common, or that are stereotypically Southern, but there’s far more to the South than that.