Posted in Mississippi December 26, 2017 by

10 Undeniable Habits That No Mississippian Can Ever Unlearn

Mississippi is a wonderful place to live. But the one thing nobody tells you is that living here leads to certain habits that’ll most likely stick with you for the rest of your life. And it’s not just lifelong residents who are affected. Transplants and natives who’ve moved away are just as likely to experience lasting side effects from residing in Mississippi. Not so sure? Here are 10 habits that most of us can’t unlearn. Read on to see how many apply to you.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
1. It’ll always be "coke."
Mike Mozart/Flickr
Pop? Really? That just sounds silly.
2. If there’s snow in the forecast, you head to the store to stock up on staples, like milk and bread.
Paul Townsend/Flickr
Sure, it’s highly unlikely that it’ll actually snow but for some reason, the very mention of it causes us all to shop as if a category 5 is coming our way.
3. Describing your hometown based on its proximity to the nearest major city or region.
DM/Flickr
Most of us have grown up in tiny, rural towns, so when asked about home, it’s practically second nature to say things like, "it’s about an hour from the Gulf Coast."
4. You’ll always have a knack for backhanded compliments.
denisbin/Flickr
Add a "bless your heart" to the most negative remark, and it magically sounds kind and sympathetic.
5. Giving directions in terms of time, rather than miles.
Patrick Dalton/Flickr
Directions in Mississippi rarely include the amount of miles you need to travel. Instead, they usually go something like this, "go about 10 minutes up the road and turn left."
6. Being (what some may describe as unreasonably) picky about mayonnaise.
Bob Usher/Flickr
This shouldn’t be too surprising since you’ve probably been using the same brand of mayo since you were knee high to a grasshopper.
7. Saving empty Country Crock and Cool Whip containers to store leftovers.
Matt/Flickr
Even if you have more containers than you can count, it just feels wrong to throw one away.
8. Craving a Moon Pie every time you drink an RC Cola.
Sam Howzit/Flickr
The classic combo just can’t be beat. And if you haven’t tried it, you’re missing out.
9. Waving to, smiling at, or chatting with just about every person you come in contact with.
Tom Szymanski/Flickr
Being super friendly is just one of the many incredible side effects of growing up in Mississippi.
10. You’ll always think of football when you hear "hotty toddy."
Luke Pickard/Flickr
Football fan or not, it’s practically common knowledge that the phrase is part of Ole Miss’ game day chant. As far as its origin or exact meaning, that’s still up for debate.

So, do you agree with everything listed above? What habits did we forget to include? Tell us in the comments section!

If you enjoyed this, check out “11 Things That Will Always Make Mississippians Think Of Home.“