Posted in Southern California
September 09, 2017
11 Things Longtime Southern Californians Wish They Could Tell Newcomers
If you’ve lived in Southern California for a long time, you know exactly just how wonderful it is to live in this little slice of paradise. However, living here also gives you some special insight to a few of the not-so-wonderful sides of SoCal. Take a look at these 11 things about Southern California that only us longtime residents know. From the good to the bad to the absolutely wonderful — here are a few facts that any newcomer to SoCal might want to know.
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/
Even though we occupy the same state, NorCal and SoCal couldn't be more different. Don't make the mistake of lumping the two parts of California together as the same, because people will instantly know you're not from around here.
If you think us Southern Californians are exaggerating about sitting in traffic for hours on end no matter what time of day, then you are in for a big surprise as it may actually be worse than all the nightmare stories you've heard.
Sad but true, you have to get aggressive behind the wheel when you drive in SoCal. If you want to change lanes or merge, don't even think about using your blinker as many people in SoCal might not let you in once you turn your signal on.
Be prepared for friends, family, and even acquaintances to plan on visiting you when you live in Southern California because coming to SoCal is like a vacation for the rest of the world. Whether you have a guest room or just a couch for people to sleep on, be prepared to have lots of overnight visitors.
If you're moving here from out-of-state it's quite possible you don't have a wardrobe full of casual clothes. Whether for work or play, SoCal is quite casual, so make sure you stock up on khakis, shorts, flip-flops, and t-shirts.
If you're moving here from out of state, you'll fit right in as there is a very high percentage of SoCal residents who are not originally from here. It just happens to be such a great place to live that moving here is on most everyone's bucket list.
Yes, we have seasons in SoCal, but they are so mild that you just might miss them if you blink. Whether it's a crisp autumn November or a snowy winter December, you'll long for the seasons when those months roll around.
The sun in SoCal can be quite deceiving on an overcast day. If you spend any time outdoors without sunscreen you'll quickly discover you have developed quite the sunburn. Make sure you always slather on the SPF no matter how gray it may look outside.
Whether it's rent, a mortgage, gasoline, groceries, or sales tax, Southern California will give you sticker shock. Be prepared for everything to be a lot more expensive than what you're used to — and then multiply that by about ten.
Be prepared to meet some kind, happy, and bright folks when you move to SoCal. Perhaps it's the year-round sunshine that keeps everyone smiling or just the fact that we live in such a beautiful part of the country. No matter what the reason, you'll find that people from SoCal are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.
That's the price of living in SoCal — you'll get so spoiled by the climate and day-to-day beauty of living here that it will be impossible to live anywhere else after experiencing heaven on earth.
If you’ve lived here long enough, I bet you most likely agree with everything on this list. Are there any other items you’d add to the list to share with newcomers to Southern California? Please share in the comments — we’d love to see what you have to say.
