13 Undeniable Habits That No Kansan Can Ever Unlearn
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Clarisa
Author
It’s not often that we talk about just how much Kansas gets under our skin and into our spirit. Even years after we’ve moved away, Kansans will find themselves still practicing habits like these without fail. Here are 13 of our favorite undeniable habits that Kansans seem to pick up and keep forever. Do you do any of these, or know of any more?
For Kansans, it's "JC Penney's" instead of JC Penney, and other similar store names also get the extra 's', seemingly at random. I have no idea how this started, but it's become a common occurrence in any community I've been to.
It's just polite when someone lets you through before them, but it's turned into a common formality for many Kansans to give a little wave or smile to those they meet eyes with, on the road or on foot.
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For those of us who do a lot of country or highway driving, cattle trailers are a common feature. They always seem to smell the same, even if they've been washed, and you'll always smell it in your car as you pass. For us though, it's the smell of home.
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Getting to know your neighbors is just something we do, because we care about others and our neighborhoods. The more friends we have, the more people will keep an eye on our kids or call the police if someone breaks into our home while we're gone. Nosy neighbors aren't always a bad thing.
In Kansas, many of our landscapes allow you to see your destination approaching, day or night. Either you can see the glow of the town's lights, or the buildings peeking up over the horizon as you draw near.
Waiting in line at the grocery store? A Kansan might try and talk to you, commenting on anything just to get a conversation going. Even if they'll never see you again, what's wrong with a little small talk?
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If you've moved away from Kansas and no longer have a local lake, I know your pain. Missing a lake during the summer is a feeling I think we all have sometimes, when there's an algae bloom or something else preventing you from your usual summertime fun. Of course, you can still have bonfires at the lake, but it's nothing compared to tubing or lounging on an air mattress.
Tornadoes are the most interesting part of Kansas weather, so when we get one close by, we'd like to take a good look at it. Unless it's a big one, then we usually just head for cover like normal humans.
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Some Kansans (I'm looking at you) like to put ranch on just about anything. Pizza, chicken nuggets, fries, and drowning your salad are all Kansan uses for ranch. I personally don't understand the love, but many of my fellow Kansans swear by it.
Okay, I can understand a separate freezer, but why do they always fill up with meat? My parents buy meat by the half-cow and it ends up looking a lot like this one here. Of course, it's probably the most convenient way to stockpile food in case you're stuck at home for a few days during our next ice storm.
Every time you're leaving the grocery store, the gas station, or a relative's house, you can hear this. All over Kansas, you hear "Have a good one!" and even say it yourself. Where did this phrase come from, and how did it take over the usual "Have a good day!" we used to all say instead?
Roads lined with mountains, trees, and other crowding are just not common in Kansas. For many of us, we get so used to the wide open spaces that driving in other, more mountainous states, we get a little claustrophobic sometimes.
Any time we're out of state, this little quote pops up when we answer where we're from. Of course, it's possible to never leave home, but what fun would that be?
If you’re interested in seeing just how beautiful Kansas can be, you should definitely explore some of our best byways on your next trip.
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