1. Everyone Will Assume You Lived In An Igloo
When it comes to most outsiders, all they know about Alaska is that it’s cold and it snows a lot, so I guess it makes sense that they’d think you live in a dome-shaped house of ice and snow. Thankfully, that’s not the case.
2. Snow Machines Usually Make Snow
What Alaskans call “snow machines,” the rest of the country calls a “snowmobile.” If you start talking about how fast your snow machine can go in the lower 48, expect some confused looks.
3. You’ll Be Asked About Penguins At Least Once
A common misconception about Alaska is that because it snows and it’s cold, there must be penguins everywhere. You’ll meet at least a couple people that will assume you own one of these tuxedoed birds, despite the fact that they only naturally inhabit the southern hemisphere.
4. People Might Find Your Obsessive Use Of Duct Tape Strange
Breaking things is nothing to worry about in Alaska. After all, duct tape fixes everything. After years of growing up in Alaska where it’s harder to get things, most residents are probably used to repairing broken stuff instead of buying new.
You’ll quickly discover that most Americans aren’t quite so handy.
5. Look Forward To Normal Hours Of Sun
If you’re leaving Alaska, it will be nice to have a more consistent sun schedule in your life. No more long, long nights or time changes.
6. You Can Stop Fearing Mosquitos
If you’ve survived Alaskan mosquitos during the warmer months, bugs anywhere else won’t be much of a problem. Sure, everywhere will have insects that bite but fear not. They’ll be a fraction of the size of things you’re used to swatting.
7. Someone Yelling “Lights Out” Won’t Be So Exciting
Unfortunately, “lights out” in the lower 48 just means that it’s time to go to bed, not that outlandish green lights are stretching across the starry night sky.
8. “Is Alaska Actually A State?”
For some reason, many Americans are still convinced that Alaska is somehow lesser when it comes to statehood, assuming that it’s either just a territory or really part of Canada. This general level of ignorance about the state is sure to annoy you if you leave.
9. No Temperature Will Meet Your Definition Of “Cold”
Most people in the lower 48 have never felt true cold, at least not what you consider to truly be cold. Once you’ve gotten used to bundling up for the day in the midst of an Alaskan winter, you’ll be ready for any weather that comes your way.
10. People Won’t Believe Reindeers Are Real
While they weren’t originally native to Alaska, this animal has since become pretty popular in the Last Frontier. However, when it comes to most Americans, they put Santa’s pets in the same category as a unicorn. You’ll just have to prove them wrong.
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11. There Won’t Be As Many Power Outages
While certain areas of Alaska tend to lose power frequently thanks to extremely long power lines stretching through rigid terrain and all of the freezing temps, most parts of the country don’t have the same problem. If you’re leaving Alaska, look forward to some steadier lights.
12. Everyone Thinks Alaska Is Cut Off From The World
There tends to be this assumption for some reason that Alaskans don’t have internet access. Obviously that’s not the case…it’s just a lot more expensive.
13. People Will DEFINITELY Find “Eskimo Ice Cream” Strange
Also commonly referred to as Akutaq, it might be difficult to convince new friends to try this mixture of whipped animal fat and berries. At least that just means there’s more for you.
14. People Might Find Your Espresso Addiction Strange
It’s easy for most people to understand having a cup of coffee in the morning…but espresso? Isn’t that a bit excessive? Until someone has experienced the long nights and cold weather in Alaska, they’ll have trouble understanding your love and need for caffeine.
15. Look Forward To Some Jet Lag
If you’ve leaving Alaska, expect the time change to mess with you a bit. The further east you’re headed the more it will affect you. At least you’ve had a lifetime of practicing weird hours of daylight.
15. People Will Assume You’ve Never Felt Warmth
Unless someone has personally talked with an Alaskan, there’s a good chance that they’ll assume there are no warm summer months in this state.
While Alaskan summers might not be the same as sitting on a beach in Florida, there’s still plenty of time to bust out the shorts in many places.
16. Four-Wheel Drive Isn’t Always A Necessity
While 4-wheel drive can make life exponentially easier in the Last Frontier, winters aren’t quite so intense elsewhere. You might want to swap out the 4WD for something more gas efficient.
17. People Will Compare You To Bear Grylls
Get used to people thinking you’re a survival expert. With Alaska so far away from everywhere else in America, many outsiders think that it’s full of people killing bears and building fires in the snow to survive. Thankfully, they’re wrong.
18. Seafood Won’t Be So Fresh
Alaskans are spoiled when it comes to food, they get the freshest fish and tastiest game meats around. Expect to be disappointed if you’ve leaving the last frontier for somewhere with less wildlife.
19. You’ll Have To Learn How To Love Air-Conditioning
Thanks to the mild summers in Alaska, air conditioners aren’t really much of a necessity meaning that very few houses have them. If you’re moving somewhere in the lower 48, especially the South, expect things to get a bit toasty.
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20. “Have You Been On A Dogsled?”
This might shock outsiders, but there are cars in Alaska…they’re even the same brands that you’ll see in the lower 48. Unless someone is far out in the wilderness or racing, people don’t really use sled dogs anymore.
22. You Might Want To Lock Your Doors
While it can be tempting in Alaska to dismiss home safety efforts thanks to the sparse population, most places in America aren’t so convenient. It’s usually a good idea to always lock your car and home, especially when you’re not around.
23. You’ll Worry Less About Bears
While flipped garbage cans tend to be more of a problem than bear attacks, you might be thankful that these giant creatures aren’t around when you leave. At least you’ll have one less thing to worry about on hikes.
24. Drives Won’t Be So Long
Long gone are the hours that it takes to get anywhere in rural Alaska. If you’re somewhere in the lower 48, there’s a good chance that everything you really need will be within an easy 10 minute drive from your house.
25. You’ll Fascinate Everyone You Meet
Most people have never met someone from Alaska before and even fewer have taken a trip there themselves. If you’re meeting new people in the lower 48, expect them to have plenty of questions about what life in the Last Frontier is like.
26. It Might Be Awhile Before You See A Bald Eagle Again
While these patriotic birds can be spotted on a regular basis in many parts of Alaska, the only place you’ll probably see them in the lower 48 is at the zoo.
27. Bunny Boots Aren’t Usually Part Of A Wardrobe
Specially made for extreme cold, most Alaskans have a pair of bunny boats somewhere around the house that they can whip out when the temperatures start to drop and the snow levels start to rise. Oddly enough, most people in the lower 48 won’t even know what these are.
28. You Can Stop Leaving The Car Running
A common practice in Alaska, many people leave their car running during short trips so that they know it won’t be frozen over by the time they need it again. Fortunately, most places in the country don’t get that cold, your car will thank you for leaving.
29. “So They Just Give You Money?”
The concept of the PFD can be very confusing for out-of-towners. Yes, Alaska does give its residents a check each year for living in the state, but most of it usually goes to the increased cost of living in such an isolated place, one way or another.
30. Nowhere You Go Will Be As Beautiful As The Last Frontier
Once you’ve lived in Alaska, no other place will seem quite so spectacular, as larger than life scenes seems to stretch for miles in every direction here.
Like any place, life in the Last Frontier has its pros and cons, but there’s nowhere more awesomely unique in the country to call home. If you leave, it’s a sure thing you’ll miss it.
What do you miss about Alaska? Tell us in the comments below!
