1. “Dawg” Is Usually Just A Misspelling
In Georgia, it’s no secret who the “Dawgs” are. Loved throughout the entire state for their work on the gridiron, this college football team is the best in the land. Don’t expect to find too many people out-of-state who share the same “Dawg pride” with you.
2. Football Season Might Be A Letdown
Much to a Georgian’s dismay, you shouldn’t expect people to care about college football that much if you’re leaving the Peach State. You’ll never find anywhere quite as college football crazed as the South.
3. Nowhere Else Will Feel Quite As Humid
If you’ve survived the Georgia humidity for several seasons, everywhere else you go will be a walk in the park. If you’re leaving Georgia for anywhere that’s a bit cooler, long gone are the days of pit stains and quick trips outside that leave you drenched.
4. “Coke” Typically Means Just Coca-Cola
While the term “coke” might be used to refer to any carbonated sugary drink in these parts, other places around the country tend to use either “pop” or “soda” as their term of choice for this refreshment. If you order a “coke” out at a restaurant when you’re away from home, expect to get exactly that.
5. Tea Doesn’t Start Out Sweet
A favorite in the Peach State, nothing helps beat the heat like a cold glass of sweet tea. Unfortunately, everyone in the country isn’t quite so crazy about this concoction. In most places, tea is served hot in smaller portions without sugar and often lacking a slice of lemon.
6. There Are Plenty Of Georgia Stereotypes Out There
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that stereotypes aren’t always accurate, especially when you’re talking about Georgia.
While this state has its fair share of small towns and rural areas, it’s also home to some huge cities and a very diverse population. Expect to catch new people off guard when you don’t meet their expectations for what someone from Georgia is like.
7. Don’t Take Your Pro Sports For Granted
Though it’s been awhile since one of the local professional teams has taken the trophy at the big dance, be thankful that you actually have professional sports in Georgia.
With the Falcons, Braves, Hawks, and the Thrashers all headquartered in the Peach State, Georgia has its fair share of awesome sporting events to attend. If you’re leaving this state, just hope that you don’t move to one of the 20+ states in America without a home pro team to cheer for.
8. No One Else Loves Ranch As Much As You
A favorite amongst condiments in Georgia, ranch dressing has been proven to instantly enhance the flavor of 99.9% of all foods we eat. Unfortunately, the rest of the country hasn’t caught on quite yet.
While ranch is still served with things like Buffalo wings around the country, you’ll have to ask for it with most dishes and you’ll probably be charged extra.
9. Everyone Will Want To Talk About Peaches
“Are they really that good?” “Do you eat them all the time?” “Do you miss them?”… “Yes, Yes, and again, Yes.” Get used to being asked the same questions about peaches over and over again if you leave Georgia.
People tend to be fascinated with the fruit that makes this state tick, despite being able to find it at nearly every grocery store around America. Within a couple days of being gone, you’ll have all your answers ready for the people asking about this delicious fruit.
10. Most Places Don’t Have Pollen Season
You know that one time of the year in Georgia in which everything gets coated in a thin layer of yellow? That’s not normal. Almost anywhere else you’re headed in the country seems to skip this season. It’s probably for the best.
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11. Snow Isn’t Really That Big Of A Deal
If you’re leaving Georgia, your days of freaking out in a few flurries are over. Most places around the country know how to handle their snow quite well, meaning there will probably be little tolerance for people that are slowly creeping down the roadways.
12. You’ll Miss All The Fried Foods
Sure, there are deep-fried foods everywhere, but not everywhere takes their deep-frying quite so seriously. Southern staples like fried tomatoes and fried green beans can be difficult to find upon bidding the Peach State farewell.
13. Leave The Buggies And Sacks At Home
A trip to the store for you might mean loading up the buggy with sacks of groceries, however most Americans are loading up their carts with bags full of items.
If you’re in an out-of-state store and ask where the buggies are at, there’s a good chance you’ll get a pretty confused look in return. You’ll have to call them carts when your outside of Georgia.
14. You’ll Discover You Have An Accent
As smooth and sweet as the local tea, your Georgian accent is something to be proud of. Of course, you’ll never notice it more than when you’re talking with someone that’s not from the South. Expect this to be something most people point out right away.
15. “Sir” And “Ma’am” Might Get You Some Strange Looks
Georgians take politeness to a whole new level, always using the proper terms to address everyone and never forgetting to open the door for a Southern Belle. However, in many places around the country, terms like “Sir” and “Ma’am” are considered to be overly formal.
Use them when it’s necessary, but don’t weird out new friends by continuing to call them by one of these after several months of hanging out.
16. Dinner Gets Served At Dinnertime
The term “supper” doesn’t really travel. Around most of the country, there’s breakfast in the morning, lunch served midday, and dinner at night. If you say “supper,” expect a chuckle or two.
17. It Might Be A Long Drive To Waffle House
Though at times it can seem that every single Georgian street corner is home to a Waffle House, this local favorite is really a Southern thing.
While you might encounter one of these on a road trip or luck out with one at the far end of your new town, there’s a good chance it will be a bit of a hike if you’re crazy a huge platter of their loaded hash browns.
18. People Will Be Weary Of Your Grits
One dish that the South is famous for, every Georgian knows that there’s no better way to start your day than with a heaping mound of grits. However, while you’re eating grits, most people around America are eating oatmeal.
You might have a little trouble getting them to make the switch, as outsiders are likely to find the name of this dish a bit off-putting.
19. Everyone Will Want Your Recipes
While it might take someone a hot second to love your grits, they won’t be able to pass up on the rest of your Southern cooking.
A style of cuisine famous for warming up even the coldest of days, homemade Southern soul food can’t be beat. And everyone knows this, whether or not they’re from the Peach State.
20. It Might Be Awhile Until You Hear A Storm Warning Again
Growing up in Georgia, the real threat of powerful storms like tornados is very apparent. Fortunately, most Americans don’t have to worry quite so much.
While the wail of the storm sirens might be a relatively regular occurrence here in Georgia, you’ll rarely hear them in most major U.S. cities.
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21. Good Boiled Peanuts Are Harder To Come By
If you love buying roadside peanuts, this might be one of the things you’ll miss the most when you leave Georgia. Not only are boiled peanuts significantly less popular elsewhere in the country, getting them is never as convenient as drive-thru service.
22. You Won’t See Much Red Dirt
Dirt most places is usually just the typical boring brown. At least you’ll always know you’re home when you see that famous red soil again.
23. Fried Chicken Isn’t Usually On Every Menu
Kentucky chicken has nothing on Georgia’s variety of this classic dish. Often a bit spicy and always succulent, there’s no better place in the country to find a 3-piece meal.
If this is your go-to order at most restaurants, you might have to change things up when you leave the Peach State.
24. Take Advantage Of The Beach Before You Say Goodbye
Though to outsiders Georgia isn’t typically thought of as a beach state, the coastline here is just as beautiful as it is anywhere else in the Gulf. This makes it pretty hard to leave when you’re used to a short weekend trip getting a little sand between your toes.
25. Bug Bites Aren’t So Problematic Elsewhere
One of the few perks of leaving the Peach State is the lack of bugs you’ll encounter in the rest of the country. If you grew up in Georgia, you’ve been training against bug bites in the hardest region possible, making these annoying creatures much less daunting when you travel.
26. County Pride Isn’t Usually A Thing
Displayed proudly on every Georgian license plate, the county someone hails from in this state can be a big deal. With so many tiny rural areas that are so spread out, it’s often easier to tell someone what general region you’re from than by giving them the name of a tiny town they’ve probably never heard of.
If you’re leaving Georgia, you’ll probably have to start referring to your home as a specific city.
27. Big City Traffic Isn’t Always Horrible
With Atlanta being home to some of the worst traffic in the country, getting gridlocked in this city can completely change your mind on huge metropolitan areas for the worse.
Fortunately, many larger cities around America have traffic flow figured out. Make sure you don’t let that one bad experience drive you away from downtown life.
28. People Will Take “Bless Your Heart” As A Compliment
Georgians have a unique way of dishing out insults in that they’re usually very subtle. No one you meet outside of the South is likely to realize that the popular saying “bless your heart” is actually just a more polite way of showing pity.
29. It’s Called “Southern” Hospitality For A Reason
If there’s one thing you’re sure to miss more than anything when leaving Georgia, it’s the general level of kindness that people in this state show each other.
Home to some of the friendliest, most down-to-Earth people around, nothing tops the authentic Southern hospitality you’ll find in this state.
What do you miss about Georgia? Tell us in the comments below!
