I have a love-hate relationship with the South

The day I realized I had a deep love for the South was the day I ordered a sweet tea in New Jersey, and the hostess brought me back a Snapple-like monstrosity. I was in awe. In a similar instance in New York City, I asked for a sweet tea and I was given Lipton with a dash of Splenda, at best.

There have been times I’ve ordered sweet tea in various US cities and was told it wasn’t on the menu. Having been the kid who walked into school every morning with a massive cup full of fresh brewed sweet tea sunshine, you can imagine my disdain.

Growing up in Florida, I’d always been told I didn’t live in a “Southern” state. But if you’ve ever been here, you’d know anything north of Orlando is most definitely considered the South. While it may not be a city in Alabama or Tennessee (and thank the good Lord it isn’t), it’s just as Southern as any.

Life in the South is full of pros and cons. I love the people and I love the constant sunshine. While there are a hundred reasons I love living in the South, there are a hundred other things I could definitely live without.

Love: There is nothing better than a home-cooked Southern meal

When I was younger, my sister and I would get woken up on Saturday mornings to the smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen. We would come out of our bedrooms to see my mom made grits, bacon and eggs, biscuits and gravy, or cornbread pancakes with homemade syrup, and there’d always be a huge pitcher of fresh squeezed orange juice, lemonade or homemade sweet tea.

Any Southern classic you’re craving, my mom can create it. The best part about Southern food is knowing someone who can throw it down to perfection.

Hate: If it crawls, it falls

If you can shoot it with a gun, people here will eat it. After a bout of food poisoning turned me into a relatively picky eater, I’ve become a bit apprehensive about eating things that could have been considered road kill three hours prior.

I was once told I couldn’t leave the dinner table until I tried the piece of alligator meat that sat on my plate. Needless to say, I left it anyway. If it crawls in any way, shape or form, I’m probably not going to eat it, but many people here will.

Love: You can literally go swimming on Thanksgiving and Christmas

The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, and the best part about the holidays in the South is that it’s warm. Everyone is cheerful, and you can use the warmth as an excuse to have an outdoor gathering with your family and friends, as if it’s the middle of summer. It’s like having your cake and eating it too.

Hate: Are seasons a thing, or nah?

As great as year-long warmth can be, it’s a little hard to get into the holiday spirit when it’s 80 degrees outside. As much as I love the heat and dislike being cold, sometimes you just need an ugly sweater to get into the holiday spirit, and it can be a bit hard to find and wear said ugly sweater when you’d rather be in a swimsuit instead.

Love: Strangers are nice

I was born in New York City, but raised in a small town in Central Florida. When I first went back to the city after moving down South, the culture shock was immense. I couldn’t see the sunshine, there were barely any trees, and the worst part? No one smiled while passing you on the street.

I remember thinking “are people here really that unhappy?” It turns out, they’re just as happy as anyone else, but thinking back to that moment was definitely when I realized Southern hospitality was a legitimate thing. You speak to strangers on the elevator, people hold open doors and old people (for the most part) are kind…

Hate: Until they start a 30-minute long conversation and you just can’t pull away

Don’t get me wrong, conversations in elevators and convenience stores are great. But if there’s one thing about Southern people, it’s that we love to talk. A lot. About everything. We can go from a conversation about the weather to Mars and back real quick. And when someone is so genuinely interested in a conversation, it almost seems rude to pull away. So even though it’s been 27 minutes and you’re really eager to finish up that grocery list, when a little old couple is talking to you, by God you sit there and listen – your day full of errands is going to have to wait.