12 Awkward Moments Every Virginian Has Endured At Least Once
Life in Virginia…it’s an experience that’s altogether unique, wonderful, and well, puzzling at times. This is especially true whenever one travels out of state only to find that out-of-towners can’t always relate to our lifestyle. Or if a visitor happens to ask a Virginian about one of our more quirky habits. If you live in the Old Dominion, you’ve probably experienced several of the following uncomfortable moments:
1. Trying to explain and perhaps defend our state motto.
Most visitors to our state have a few questions about our state motto, and we're left to answer them. It's been our tourism slogan since 1970, and you have to admit it's pretty memorable. Virginia is for lovers...of all things Virginia!
2. Introducing yourself if you have a double name.
While double names aren't exclusive to Virginia, they are especially traditional here. It's often difficult to explain to someone from a different region that yes, some first names are actually TWO names.
3. Dressing up for what you expect the weather to be.
"It's the middle of December, so why not bundle up in a heavy coat?" is a mindset that's made a fool of us all. Virginia's seasons have a mind of their own, no matter what the forecast may claim.
4. Driving out of state, only to realize vanity plates are few and far between.
Here in Virginia, we tend to share a little bit of our personalities on our license plates. Seeing as Virginia has the highest concentration of vanity plates, we stand out a little more beyond the VA border.
5. The request for clarification from an out-of-towner when we say we're headed to "the Rivah."
Answering a question with "yes ma'am" or "yes sir" is engrained into our language, and it's a difficult habit to break. (What would our parents say?!")
5. Stifling a giggle when someone mispronounces a town name.
It's an innocent mistake, especially when the spelling can be very misleading. Nevertheless, nothing is quite as amusing as hearing your hometown pronounced by a visitor.
6. That blank stare you get after trying to explain directions by obscure landmarks.
"You'll take a right after the fence where you usually see all those cows. You know, after that one gas station?" Despite our best efforts, directions in Virginia -- especially the scenic backgrounds -- can get a bit confusing for those who have never taken them.
7. Finding yourself a little TOO prepared for that supposed snowstorm that never came.
Everyone's familiar with that little dance you do after walking through a spider web, and Virginia has plenty of wooded areas where these traps are just waiting to catch us.
10. Confused looks after addressing a group of two or more as "y'all."
If your hair is naturally curly or wavy, you've learned by now that there's just no fighting the natural force of summer humidity in Virginia. That's especially true along the coast.
12. Overhearing someone proclaim Virginia doesn't have any "real" mountains.
Sure, our beloved mountains may not be as staggering as ones out West, but you certainly get your money's worth when you go for a hike around here. The view (and the climb!) are bound to take your breath away.
Do you have any stories that relate to the above list? Do any other situations come to mind that we may have missed? Either way, we’d love to hear from you! For related content, be sure to read about The 15 Weird Side Effects From Growing Up In Virginia.
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A lifelong Virginia resident, Beth loves exploring different parts of the world and currently resides in Alexandria. She holds a degree in English Literature and one of her short stories has been featured in the Shenandoah Review. Other interests include hiking, songwriting, and spending time in the mountains.