1. Spring Break
What it means everywhere else: A time to escape from the stresses of daily life, usually by taking a trip somewhere warm.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A time in which young college kids invade the Panhandle area, bringing plenty of chaos and destruction with them.
2. Panhandle
What it means everywhere else: The handle of a pan, used to hold and move this kitchen tool.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A long skinny stretch of land that’s completely different than the rest of Florida.
3. Seminole
What it means everywhere else: The Native American tribes originally from the Florida area.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: The Florida State Seminoles, one of the most popular college teams in Florida’s Panhandle.
4. 30A
What it means everywhere else: Either a name of a road or someone’s dorm room number.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: The 30A Songwriters Festival, one of the coolest concerts in January.
5. Time Zone
What it means everywhere else: Each section of the globe that is assigned a specific time difference from other areas, in relation to Greenwich, England.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A line that cuts through the middle of the Panhandle; the reason that the automatic time adjustment feature on your phone must be set to “manual.”
6. Tea
What it means everywhere else: A hot beverage typically consumed early in the day, often in place of coffee.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A sweet, ice cold beverage consumed at any time throughout the day, often with a slice of lemon.
7. Snow Birds
What it means everywhere else: Birds that tend to inhabit colder areas of the country.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Tourists that come to the Panhandle every year when their weather back home gets too cold.
8. Tubing
What it means everywhere else: A piece of plastic or metal that’s in tubular form.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A popular water activity that involves floating down a river on an inner tube, often while sipping a beer.
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9. Firehouse
What it means everywhere else: A place where firemen are headquartered.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Firehouse Subs, straight from Jacksonville and a favorite in this area.
10. Coke
What it means everywhere else: A brand of soft drink.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Word used for any type of soft drink, regardless of brand.
11. Gruntin’
What it means everywhere else: Making low-pitched noises.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A technique used to hunt for bait worms.
12. Flip Flops
What it means everywhere else: A type of footwear worn a few times a year whilst at the beach.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: The only type of footwear you really need in Florida.
13. Rain
What it means everywhere else: A predictable occurrence in which water falls from the sky.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A relatively unpredictable and intense occurrence in which buckets of water fall from the sky, often during sunny days.
14. Bug
What it means everywhere else: To annoy.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Tiny creatures that fly around the Pandhandle in huge swarms leaving itchy bites on anyone in their path. And, oh yah, they definitely “annoy.”
15. Peanuts
What it means everywhere else: Crunchy, roasted legumes.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Extremely salted and sometimes moist, boiled treats.
16. Blue Angels
What it means everywhere else: An angel that’s blue.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Planes flown by some of the most elite pilots in the U.S. Navy, known for their ability to fly in close proximity, headquartered in the Pensacola area.
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17. Gators
What it means everywhere else: A predatory reptile found all over the Sunshine State.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: The Florida Gators, the only other college football team people will be cheering for in this region of the state. Also, a term used to refer to the aforementioned predatory reptile indigenous to this area.
18. Winter
What it means everywhere else: A seemingly endless season of the year in which temperatures drop and snow starts to fall.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A chilly time in which temperatures drop a little bit below the regular 70 degrees, occasionally resulting in sleet or snow.
19. Moss
What it means everywhere else: Something that grows on trees.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Something that hangs from trees.
20. Crane
What it means everywhere else: A very tall piece of machinery used during construction on massive structures.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A type of migratory bird that passes through the panhandle, known for its long neck and legs.
21. Prime Parking
What it means everywhere else: The closest parking spot to the store.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: The parking spot that’s got the most shade.
22. Polite
What it means everywhere else: Saying “please” and “thank you” occasionally.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: Saying “please” or “thank you” or “sir” or “ma’am” any chance you can get. It means opening every door for strangers, and showing general friendliness to everyone you meet.
23. Shell
What it means everywhere else: A gas station.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A tiny but hard protective cover worn and eventually shed by mollusks and crustaceans found everywhere across the Panhandle, from on the beach to decoratively on the walls of people’s homes.
24. Emerald
What it means everywhere else: A bright green color, often associated with a precious stone by the same name.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: The Emerald Coast, the name of the Panhandle’s most popular shoreline.
25. Niceville
What it means everywhere else: A place where everyone is presumably very nice.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A city in Okaloosa County close to Eglin Air Force Base, probably also home to plenty of nice folks.
26. Florida
What it means everywhere else: A state that’s known for its sunshine and crazy news stories.
What it means in Florida’s Panhandle: A state that consists of several very different and distinct parts that could really be their own state, none of which are as relaxing or as beautiful as the Panhandle.
What other words mean something different in the Panhandle? Tell us in the comments below!
