While many of us grew up here, or left and returned, sometimes we come across newcomers to the state that just don’t seem to get it yet. Though we don’t have a manual to hand out to every new person we see, we do have the internet. Here are some things we’d like to tell all the newcomers we come across:

1. If you want to live here, learn about tornadoes and how bad our storms can get.
Balaji/Flickr
We won't make fun of you if you feel safe in your basement, but just know that ice storms and hail might be worse than a tornado sometimes.
2. The Northeast, Central, and Western sections might as well be different worlds.
Becky McCray/Flickr
You go from having cities everywhere, to luscious green pastures and smaller cities spaced apart, to having hours between towns with a gas station. As a result, the people are all generally different, too.
3. There's a lot more to Kansas than just farms, but we do have a lot of them. Learn to love it.
David DeHetre/Flickr
Beautiful farms are part of life in Kansas, and so is getting occasionally stuck behind farm equipment.
4. Don't visit and rant about how flat it is, especially if you've only been on the interstate.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
Nothing's that pretty on the interstate, because it's meant to be fast, not pretty. Take a smaller highway, or a scenic byway to get to your location instead. Maybe you'll find Kansas is prettier than you previously thought?
5. Every town has a unique feel, so visit many of them.
Franklin B. Thompson/Flickr
One town square is unlike every other, and we've got 105 counties full of places for you to visit. Why not take a tour of a local town every weekend?

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6. We have three seasons: boiling, freezing, and road construction.
Jen/Flickr
Unfortunately, we're not kidding when we say it gets above 100 degrees and sometimes below 0. Yet construction season can last years, with a lot of alternate routes becoming more permanent.
7. We're nice, but don't expect us to want to listen to your life story.
mandhak/Flickr
We're polite to a fault, but don't be shocked to find an odd look come across someone's face if you're oversharing. Rather than share, just say "fine, and you?"
8. A good part of Kansas has higher crime rates than you might think. Don't expect everything to be hunky-dory all the time.
Mike Frizzel/Flickr
In any town, you'll find all the types of people that are notorious in big cities, except spread out.
9. If you're just going to make wizard of oz jokes, don't talk to us.
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Honestly, we've heard all of them numerous times. Much as we'd like to hear them again, we'd rather drop a house on you.
10. If you don't like the weather, wait an hour. It might change completely.
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Between random attacks of rain and high winds, we have no idea what will happen next. We swear we've had all four seasons in three days before!
11. Don't forget sunscreen, even when it seems cloudy. we've got a lot of sky.
Phil Kates/Flickr
Seriously, cloud burn can be a problem if you're outside for a while. Most of all though, don't forget it when it's sunny.

Furthermore, if you’re a newcomer looking to appreciate some of that plain farmland we have everywhere, check out these photos of just how beautiful our farms are!

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