6 Things Only People From North Carolina Will Understand
According to a local TikToker.
The skyline of Charlotte, NC. Right: An aerial shot of a beach in North Carolina.
North Carolina is home to expansive mountain ranges, charming beach towns, and bustling cities.
Every year, tourists from all over the globe flock to the Tar Heel State to take in its natural beauty.
But there are some sides to NC that only true locals can understand.
From coping with unpredictable weather to understanding classic Southern insults, here are six things only people from North Carolina understand, according to a local TikTok creator, Patty who lives there.
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"Do not take I-77"
Patty kicks her video off with some sage advice on avoiding a ticket. "If you're from North Carolina you know good and damn well if you want to speed, do not take I-77. If you take 77 and decide to speed nine times out of ten you're going to see a state trooper."
"Bless Your Heart"
"Bless Your Heart" is one of those common Southern phrases that sound syrupy sweet, but they're actually dripping with distain. When people say this, they aren't blessing you, it's an insult to your character or intelligence.
"Hey how you doin'?"
Down South, people will greet and chat with strangers while out and about, and in North Carolina this tradition is very much alive. Saying hi to a stranger walking by you in a grocery store would not be uncommon like in many other regions in the U.S.
"I'm from Boston so when I came here and everyone was like 'Hey how you doin?' I was like...WTF, but I realized it's a Southern thing. If you don't speak people will think you're so disrespectful," says Patty in the TikTok.
"Tell the family I said 'hey'"
Circling back to manners, there is a right and a wrong way to end a phone call in North Carolina.
Patty explains, "Instead of saying 'Hey bruh I gotta go call you back,' people down here hit you with the "Oh hey, I was just callin' to see how y'all was doing, I ain't want nothin', I'll let you go have a good day, tell the family I said 'hey.'"
The weather fluctuates
The weather in North Carolina often fluctuates regularly throughout the day. "8 a.m. you have on a jacket and long sleeve pants, by 12 you have on shorts and a tank top. I don't understand..." Patty jokes.
North Carolina's turbulent weather can throw a number of surprises, so it's best to be prepared for all situations.
Going to Walmart when you're bored
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In a video captioned "POV: Only North Carolina would understand," TikTok user Big Carolina jokes about being so bored you go with your friends to Walmart for no particular reason besides there's nothing better to do.
"Sup with y'all boys? Y'all ain't got nothin to do either? Y'all tryin' to ride to Walmart?" he said.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.