Have you recently moved to Kansas or remember when you first did? Whether you’re a Kansas lifer or not, these realizations probably happened upon you at some point. These are things you just learn living here, and no one teaches you better than life.

1. For the "Sunflower State" we sure do have a lack of "actual" sunflowers.
Alan/Flickr
As in, the ones we harvest for sunflower seeds and not the ditch growing version. You also learn that there's two kinds of sunflowers, as well.
2. Out west, there's a hawk for every fence post.
Tim Lumley/Flickr
The county I'm from has some pretty fat hawks, and they're all over the place. Hey, that's less mice and snakes though, right?
3. Eastern and Western Kansas have very different people.
Kansas Tourism/Flickr
Western Kansans are content with living nowhere near a big city, whereas most Easterners wouldn't want to live without easy access to one. (There's a middle ground, but it's rare to find.)
4. There's a lot of bee hives here, and honey's pretty cheap.
Kansas Farmers Union/Flickr
Minus being allergic to bees, there's no reason not to love how well Kansas farmers have embraced our fuzzy friends. We still need everyone to plant more wildflowers, though. Let's all do our part to save the bees!
5. Snakes aren't all that scary, just leave them alone. They're rarely poisonous, too.
Stephen Muehleisen/Flickr
I mean, one in your toilet or your basement might be a little shocking, but it's probably a harmless garter or rat snake. They might get nippy if they're scared, but they can't really draw blood and they're definitely not poisonous. Don't just kill every snake you see, kiddos.
6. Don't get attached to your weather forecast.
David DeHetre/Flickr
The sky starts to turn a yellow-green, and you see a wall of clouds come by. What's this? I thought it said "scattered showers" before 5, not "impending doom" right?

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7. Always have a real umbrella around (foldable ones don't survive here!)
Stefan Lins/Flickr
Speaking of storms, or just rain here in general, it's a good idea to have a big umbrella in your car. If you're scared of a sprinkle, go ahead and carry the small foldable one in your purse, but just know that it's useless in most cases. No really, the wind will tear it to pieces.
8. Lip gloss isn't practical, it's just going to catch your hair anyways.
Mark Maquade/Flickr
I mean, not that you'd want to collect dust from the wind anyways, but hair is an extra reminder not to wear gloss or sticky chapstick outside. For that reason, Carmex is carried by most Kansans.
9. No one's going to judge you for wearing flip-flops everywhere (Unless it's snowing. Then you're nuts.)
Madaise/Flickr
I mean, they're comfortable, cheap, and comfortable. Especially in the heat or the rain. Who wants soggy socks? You can see me sporting sandals everywhere all winter long, minus when we actually get snow or ice.
10. People get seriously attached to their grocery stores.
Michael Kappel/Flickr
During my stint in retail, I found that people are strangely committed to their grocery stores. Once they pick one they like, it doesn't matter if there's another one on their corner, they'll travel for their favorite.
11. There's something called "Tornado season" but we call it "not winter" (April to November.)
Char/Flickr
You'll also learn, it's actually two separate seasons, but to us it just seems like one long area of possible storm chasing. After you move in, might as well befriend a storm enthusiast, because you'll need either the safety course or the excitement of the chase.
12. We don't need beaches to have a good time.
One Day Closer/Flickr
No really, there's nothing that says Kansas more than planning an overnight party at the local lake of your choosing. Are you bored? Let's go to the lake. Music festival? It's at the lake. Birthday party? Also the lake.

13. In the summer, you can hear the hot air screaming. Just kidding! It’s the cicadas, but it’s very loud when there’s a bunch, and I definitely thought it was just the sound of summer when I was a kid.


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But hey, there’s plenty more great things in Kansas, just take a look around. What do you like most about this state?

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