As a Californian born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, moving over 2,500 miles away to attend college in South Carolina was an adjustment, to say the least. For out-of-state students, the South can seem a little overwhelming at first — it truly has a culture of its own. So, here’s a guide to the South that I hope makes your transition a little easier!
1. The South has a language of its own, and saying “y’all” instead of “you all” or “you guys” is, actually, much more efficient. Try it out, even if you feel a little silly at first. Also, instead of saying “I got a B” when referring to a grade in school, students will say “I made a B,” which takes some getting used to.
2. Southern hospitality is definitely a thing. The people here are truly so nice, and society doesn’t move quite as fast as it does up North or out West. Passersby will stop you in the street to say hello and ask how you’re doing, which is pretty wonderful once you get used to it.
3. The humidity here is no joke. And honestly, there’s not much you can do to prepare yourself. From around the end of March to early October, the air is so thick it’s drinkable. To combat this, restaurants, stores and businesses crank their AC to the max. So, make sure to bring a sweater when you go out to shop or grab a bite to eat — I’ve found myself even grateful for the suffocating heat after shivering in a restaurant.
4. A lot of the food here is fried, meat-based and contains dairy. If you’re lactose intolerant, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, etc., you might have a hard time finding restaurants that can modify their dishes or have allergen-free items. As someone with a gluten intolerance, I recommend doing your research before going out to eat.
5. The sweet tea is really, really sweet. South Carolina is the birthplace of the United States’ first commercial tea farm, so you can count on pretty much every restaurant to serve sweet tea, unsweet tea, hot tea, Arnold Palmers and the like. It’s truly a rite of passage to try an ice-cold glass of sweet tea if you haven’t already, but prepare yourself for a sugar rush because the Southerners don’t mess around when it comes to sweetening their tea.
6. Believe it or not, the South’s gas stations are incredible. I highly recommend making a point to stop at a QuikTrip, RaceTrac or Buccee’s during your time here. They’re astounding compared to gas stations in other parts of the United States. Think hundreds of canned and bottled drinks, boiled peanuts, frozen yogurt, warm hotdogs and sandwiches, more varieties of sweet tea and fountain drinks than you ever knew existed, road trip snacks, candy, fully-stocked coffee stations, and so much more.
The South, especially South Carolina, is one of my favorite places. It has so many one-of-a-kind characteristics that you can’t help but grow to love, and I bet you’ll catch yourself saying “y’all” and ordering sweet tea on the regular before you know it.
