Just Californian Things: A SoCal Perspective

Living in Baltimore for the past year where I was surrounded by people from many different states, I have come to learn a few things that make Californians distinctly unique. While there are some things SoCal and NorCal inhabitants might have in common, us SoCal-ers would say that NorCal is basically a different state. That being said, this list focuses on a middle class SoCal perspective. I am by no way saying that this list will or should apply to everyone, but they are generalizations that I have seen proven true time and time again.

1. We are snobbish about our Mexican food. If you're with a Californian long enough (I would say give it a day), you will hear them worship the burrito and constantly tell you that if you haven't had Mexican food in SoCal then you're missing out. No, Chipotle is not Mexican. No, TexMex is not Mexican. And no, not even Taco Bell is Mexican. Not to say that any of those aren't good, they just shouldn't be classified as Mexican food. Southern California Mexican food is in a league of its own, and we miss it everyday we're not in California.
2. Rain is a big deal. For one, there's this major drought, and we need the rain to sustain to the state. For another, we're not used to this mysterious precipitation that falls from the sky and we will freak out if it starts raining. Some of my best childhood memories are of the couple of days a year it would rain and we would stop everything we were doing and go outside and stomp in the puddles. In addition to that, we also don't understand seasons, and things like falling leaves and snow are also a big deal.
3. In'N'Out is basically better than anything. In'n'out is amazing and we Southern Californians basically worship it. You better not tell us that Five Guys or Shake Shack have better burgers and fries because you'd be wrong. 
4. Watching car chases on TV is actually a thing. It's a family affair. When we get a Breaking News Alert about a car chase, we tune in. No matter how seemingly boring the chase gets, we stick with it to the end. It really is a great form of entertainment and can also help test your knowledge of SoCal roads and freeways.
5. We have the most terrible traffic and you better not argue about that with us. The traffic is horrible. Going from Orange to LA should take you around 45 minutes, but throw in some good old traffic and you've got a 2 and a half hour drive. The traffic plagues every freeway and basically spans the hours from 6a-8p with maybe a lull around 2p for like a minute or two. This is one of the reasons Californians are such great drivers: traffic is a bitch to drive in.
6. It's the 5 freeway or the 405. On the topic of freeways, you need to use the article "the" in front of any freeway name. You would say "I'm going to take the freeway" so it would make perfect sense that you would say "I'm going to take the 5." Saying "I'm going to take 5 to get there" is the same as saying "I'm going to take freeway." 
7. Please don't ask me how many miles. Also on the topic of driving, a majority of us cannot feasibly comprehend distance given in miles. We know how many minutes it takes to get from here to there, but not miles. In addition to that, frankly most things are "about 20 minutes away."
8. Don't condemn my excessive use of the word "like." It's just part of our vernacular - a part of the SoCal dialect and we like basically grew up saying the word "like." It's efficient and easy to use. And y'all should get on that.
9. We have the best music scene. Period. The best bands started here. The best bands play here. We have the best small venues and the best large venues. Music in Cali is like nothing else.
10. Some of us do call it Cali. It's efficient and sounds cute. Most of the people I've met around here have nothing against calling it Cali.
11. Don't call it the OC. That just sounds weird. No one calls Orange County "The OC," it doesn't sound right and just shouldn't be said.
12. We have the best produce. Produce on the East Coast (and probably the Midwest) just can't stand up to the produce here. Ours is fresher and just plain better.
13. Small earthquakes just aren't that big of a deal. They are very common occurences and we're used to them. We like to brag to our East Coast friends about how many earthquakes we've survived.

Have you noticed anything else unique about your SoCal friends? Let me know in the comments below!

-Marisa