1. You’ll Have To Deal With Some Negative Stereotypes
The second you tell someone you’re from Mississippi, they’ll immediately assume that you’re a gun-toting, shoeless, redneck that lives in a tiny shack somewhere in the middle of nowhere. While Mississippi definitely has its fair share of rural communities, the stereotypes that come along with them couldn’t be more inaccurate.
2. Comeback Sauce Isn’t A Typical Condiment
A mixture of mayonnaise, chili sauce, and usually a secret special ingredient, this Mississippi condiment has the magical power to instantly make anything taste better. Unfortunately, if you leave this region, you’ll be stuck making your own to bring with you when you’re headed out to eat.
3. It’s Called The Bible Belt For A Reason
Mississippi is literally the most religious state in the country. Nearly 60 percent of their residents consider themselves to be “very religious.” Compared to Vermont’s 22 percent and the median of Minnesota’s 40 percent, it doesn’t take a statistical genius to realize that the Magnolia State loves their churches.
The further away from Mississippi you get, the less religious people tend to be. If you consider religion to be an important part of your life, make sure you consider this before leaving.
4. No One Else Will Know What A Slugburger Is
Deep-fried burgers with soybean grits or flour and egg added into the mix, expect people outside of the Mississippi region to find this dish a little off-putting. Bring the doubters home to the Cornith Slugburger Festival and you’ll change their tune in no time.
5. People Will Question Your Casual Approach Towards Gators
With some experts putting the number of gators in Mississippi close to 40,000, it’s no surprise that many of the locals have had an encounter with one of these creatures. Whether a Mississippian has seen one in the wild or not, they’ll know how to keep their cool when one pops up, something that will send outsiders high-tailing it for their car.
6. Everyone Will Expect You To Bring Mississippi Mud Pie To Get-Togethers
Mississippi is in the name! That means everyone from the state has to be obsessed with it, right?! While this isn’t exactly the case, it is one of the Magnolia State’s namesake dishes and it’s well travelled, meaning out-of-towners will kind of be expecting a family recipe.
7. Your Comfort Food Will Be The Way To New Neighbors Hearts
While you might not be able to whip up some Mississippi Mud Pie for your friends, we all know you’ve got the perfect set of generationally tested family recipes that are sure to appease hungry people you meet. Start off with some good ole’ fashioned biscuits and gravy—they’ll love you for it.
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8. Expect People To Point Out Your Accent—A Lot
While you might not think you have an accent, you do. But don’t be mad when people point it out constantly, it’s just one little reminder of the awesome place you’re from.
9. They’ll Also Ask What “Fixin” Means
In Mississippi, the term “fixin’” gets thrown around quite a bit, whether someone’s talking about “all the fixin’s” or “fixin’ to” do something. This term doesn’t really travel much outside the South, so be prepared to explain it every time you use it.
10. You Might Have To Make A Road Trip For Some Fried Catfish
Living near the Mississippi River, the residents of the Magnolia State get spoiled when it comes to catfish. Typically battered in a special rub and deep-fried, no fried fish you get anywhere else will even come close.
11. No One Will Top Your Crawfish Eating Abilities
Mississippians love chowing down on these little red critters, so much that they’ll even host festivals for crawfish, never complete without a crawfish eating contest. Expect some strange looks if you bring up how delicious their brain juice is to outsiders.
12. Everywhere Isn’t Quite So Humid
After growing up in Mississippi, you’ve pretty much trained yourself for the summers anywhere else in the country. You might find a few desert states that get up to a hotter temperature, but nowhere else will have the same stifling humidity you find in Mississippi.
13. No One Has A Clue What The “Golden Egg” Is
The trophy that goes to the winner of the annual rivalry game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Mississippi State Bulldogs, the entire fan base on the victorious side gets bragging rights throughout the Magnolia State for an entire year.
Of course, if someone isn’t a fan of the Rebels or the Bulldogs, they’ll have no clue what the significance of this trophy is and they probably won’t even care.
14. “Hotty Toddy” Doesn’t Travel Far
If someone isn’t cheering for Ole Miss, they’ll definitely be confused by the phrase “hotty toddy.” Similar to Alabama’s “roll tide”, this phrase really have a specific meaning, typically used as a way of addressing other Rebels fans. If you leave this state, don’t expect to hear many “hotty toddys” until you return.
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15. No One Will Believe You Have Beaches
Just as beautiful as the beaches in other states on the Gulf, Mississippi tends to get overlooked because it’s not as touristy as Florida or Louisiana. That’s alright though, it just keeps the spring breakers away.
16. At Least No One Will Ask You How To Spell Your State
“M-I-SS-I-SS-I-PP-I!” It’s something that’s taught in basically every public school around the country. Most Americans might not know anything else about the great state of Mississippi, but they’ll probably be able to spell the name as fast as any local.
17. Learn To Drive In The Snow ASAP
It’s not much of a secret, Mississippi doesn’t get a ton of snow. People there might think it’s a problem on the roads, but that’s just because they haven’t tried driving in the winter weather further north.
If you’re leaving Mississippi for somewhere colder, practice snow driving in a vacant lot before hitting the roads. When you’re not the person stuck in a ditch, you’ll be happy you did.
18. Tea Doesn’t Always Come Ice Cold And Sweet
While the only truly acceptable way to drink tea in Mississippi is loaded with sugar and ice with a slice of lemon, a lot of Americans prefer to sip it sugarless and hot. Make sure you specify which type you want if you’re ordering it out.
19. People Won’t Be Quite So Friendly
Heck, one of the nicknames for Mississippi is “the Hospitality State.” Anywhere else you go just won’t have that same “shirt off my back” mentality that gives Mississippi the sense of community you’ve grown to love.
20. You Won’t Have To Budget For Tons Of Bug Spray
It doesn’t take long in Mississippi to realize that the bugs are absolutely horrible, especially the mosquitos, thanks to the hot, humid climate. Once you’ve survived a night outside in Mississippi, you’ll be capable of tolerating the bugs basically anywhere else.
21. Gas Station Food Is A Little Riskier
Be warned, while Mississippi gas stations tend to be home to mom and pop restaurants featuring meat plus three platters and homemade pies, most of the country isn’t quite so blessed. People will definitely look at your strangely if you mention how you consider gas station food a great meal—outsiders will immediately assume you mean the hot dogs that have been on the roller heater for several days.
22. You’ll Miss Mississippi More Than You Thought You Would
To outsiders, Mississippi might not seem like much, but that’s this state’s charm. Life is simple in the Magnolia State, slow moving and stress free. The food is awesome, the people are friendly, and its home to a beautiful and diverse landscape. If you’re planning on leaving Mississippi soon, soak up as much of it as possible before you say goodbye.
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