14 Strange Habits Every Arizonan Will Defend To The Death

Living in Arizona means that you’re kind of an oddball from the rest of the country. We rarely experience crazy weather like blizzards or tornadoes. We don’t use Daylight Saving Time. We have an abundance of sunshine, even more so than the Sunshine State! All of those make for people who are just a little bit...odd, perhaps? (I think we’re completely normal but I’ll let you be the judge of that.) Here are a few weird things about people who live in Arizona that others around the country may find a bit unusual.

1. We accept that yards can look like this.

In fact, sometimes we prefer it to a grassy lawn.

2. Dry rivers and creeks are a totally natural thing.

This is a river.

3. We know that water from the cold tap doesn’t always come out cold.

There’s no feeling quite like your poor fingers sizzling under the lava water in the middle of an Arizona summer. It might as well look like this.

4. We explain to everyone that, yes, it does snow in Arizona.

Maybe not everywhere but when it does, it’s simply magical.

5. By the way, we make a big deal about rain.

6. We’ll also tell you there’s no smell like the desert after a storm.

OMG, that creosote!

7. In the summer, we go out of our way to make sure our skin gets in contact with hot objects as little as possible.

Unless you have something like hands of steel, that is.

8. We know that a car can become a death trap quickly, especially in summer.

If you can bake cookies in your car while watching a movie at the theater, it’s too hot to leave kids and pets in there!

9. We will gladly correct any mispronunciations of words like "saguaro" or "gila."

Don’t make this little guy sad that you can’t say his name!

10. Tell everyone where to find the best Mexican food but guard favorite natural areas with your life.

11. We generally think this is a normal sight.

12. We know that a cigarette butt or a campfire not properly extinguished can cause massive damage and heartache.

Homes are burned, lives are lost, and the effects for wildlife is devastating. Although it was started by lightning, you just need to remember the Yarnell Hill fire from 2013 to think of how terrible wildfires can be for humans and our animal neighbors.

13. Arizonans often celebrate Arizona Statehood Day instead of Valentine’s Day.

Who needs a bouquet of flowers and chocolates when you can have the Grand Canyon State?

14. We know our state is just as gorgeous as it looks in pictures.

Want to read more odd things Arizonans tend to think and do? Check out 15 Weird Side Effects Everyone Experiences From Growing Up In Arizona. I bet you can relate to at least one or two of them!