Image by Makoto Seimori from Pixabay
“You know you’re from Florida when…”
We love nothing better than being able to call ourselves Florida residents. We like to think about how we live where many people vacation (or wish they could). But, like with any other state, living in Florida has different challenges and advantages. We have habits down here that most residents wouldn’t even bat an eye to, but to the out-of-towners, these habits may seem just plain weird. We’ve decided to list some of these weird habits below. Hopefully, you can get a laugh in as well as learn a thing or two about Florida and its people.
- We like to brag about our tropical weather
Summers in Florida are well-known, if not famous on their own. So, when a native Floridian or transplant goes out-of-state, we like to let other people know how great the weather is year-round here. Forgive us. We can’t help it. We don’t know what snow or cold weather is.
- Floridians can’t handle cold weather
You see? We told you we don’t know what cold weather is. So when we feel a temperature drop we all lose our minds here in Florida. It is literally so hot down here for most of the year that any kind of weather change makes us break a sweat (no pun intended). We are the laughing stock of Northerners when they see us wear all our heavy coats, scarves, boots, gloves and hats on a 60 degree-weather day. Expect anger and confusion if you try to take us anywhere colder.
- Flip flops and sandals are worn anytime, anywhere, for any reason
We don’t need a reason to wear flip flops. We just do. It starts at an early age. We Floridians pride ourselves in being a peninsula surrounded by water on all three sides, so we are prepared to go to a beach, lake or river/spring at all times. Our clothes are no different. We may wear a shirt and shorts year-round and may even go to weddings in this attire as well. Even brides and grooms might dance in flip flops. Or take their shoes off altogether. Do not try to stop us.
- Spending longer than normal looking for a shady space to park in
Now don’t laugh. The Florida sun is unforgiving in the summertime and so is the heat and humidity. If you see us taking a long time to park, it probably means we are looking for a shady area to park in and there is none available. It’s not just looking for shade to look for shade. We don’t want to suffer third-degree burns when we sit down in our seat in the car or touch our steering wheels. We think you would understand, too.
- We’ll brag about how great our state is while at the same time telling you not to move here
Florida is so full! Between the locals and the tourists, we think we’ve seen enough people to last us a lifetime. We love for everyone to enjoy our wonderful state but please, think twice before you decide to move here. That’s what you’ll probably hear if you ask a Floridian. It’s not that we’re unfriendly, we’re just sick of sitting in traffic.
- Going out in the summer at all
Like we said before, summertime here in Florida is no joke. We may not come out of our houses all summer long due to the heat and the sun bearing down on us constantly and if we do, it’s to plunge ourselves headfirst into our pools. We recommend you do the same if you’re ever here in Florida during the summer months unless you don’t mind bursting into flames or into a literal sweat in your clothes.
- Floridians love/hate their theme parks
Now granted, getting Florida resident discounts to Walt Disney World is a great perk, but as far as the number of people that come here on a daily basis is concerned, we’ll pass. They’re often so crowded you can’t even enjoy them and they tend to overshadow some of the other things we love about our state. Not to mention how expensive it is. Still, Floridians and non-Floridians alike have enjoyed bringing their families here for years. It’s one advantage of living in Florida.
- Casually co-existing with alligators and other wildlife is just part of the “living in Florida” experience
Down here in the Florida peninsula we are used to seeing and encountering all sorts of creepy, crawly wildlife, including alligators, lizards and snakes. An alligator might even show up in your backyard (swimming in your pool). Some have even been known to stop traffic in the streets. Don’t worry. Call animal control and they’ll handle it. We also know there’s a shark or two waiting for us whenever we go into the water at the beach. But we don’t let that stop us or scare us away from enjoying all that Florida and its weather has to offer. Neither should you. Be cautious and alert, stay safe and you will be fine.
- In the Sunshine State, we like to party like rockstars. Or at least like pirates used to.
Florida’s history is ripe with stories and tales of pirates and treasure seekers coming onto shore to explore the once-unknown land of the mangroves. Pirates and treasure-seekers have played an important role in Florida’s history. Maybe it’s the tropical climate, or maybe it’s just in our blood, but a lot of Floridians will find pretty much any excuse to party like pirates.
10. In Florida, we are very resourceful when it comes to our Christmas decorations
We’ll put Christmas lights on anything from a palm tree to a sandman (No snow, remember?). We like to think outside the box.
- Not ever really knowing what season it is
As we mentioned previously, it’s always summer here in Florida for most of the year. Our fall might not even begin until the spring (March/April) when you actually start to see leaves fall from trees. We feel like it’s winter for only two months of the year when it actually gets cold (for Florida) in January and February. For these reasons, it’s good to live in Florida.
