While carrying groceries to my fourth floor bachelor pad in Cresswell Hall, I was in need of a little help. A guy from Louisville came to my rescue. He ran over to the door and held it open for me. Then he waited for me to come back down so he could help with the rest of my stuff.
This kind of hospitality and friendliness from Southerners is the main reason I made my exodus from Pennsylvania and came to Mississippi State.
Six years ago, my father and I moved from the Mississippi Gulf Coast to central Pennsylvania. My dad, who grew up in New Jersey, told me that there was a difference in people from the North and South. After only a few days, I realized he was right. My time spent there was unpleasant compared to life back home in the South.
During my first days of school in Pennsylvania, two teachers told me never to call them “ma’ am” again. Other students ridiculed me for showing respect to teachers. This confused me.
In the South, it is second nature to call a person of higher regard “ma’ am” or “sir.”
The laid-back mentality many Southerners possess makes living here a lot more comfortable. In the South, people can freely talk to one other. Strangers can hold an enjoyable and meaningful conversation. That was harder to do in the North, where many people I ran into were uptight and impatient.
Many people in the North would not so much as look at me or offer a friendly greeting when they walked by. I could go a month without having a random person ask, “How’s it going?”
Since I came to MSU in the middle of August, there must have been at least a hundred people in a single day give me that simple greeting. It is comforting and warming to know that people I do not know hope all is well in my world.
Southerners help improve the quality of life. Every time I go to the supermarket, I’m greeted with a smiling face. A cheerful greeting from almost anyone, almost anywhere is something I could not expect to receive in the North.
People tend to be happier when surrounded by cheerful people, and that makes the South a better place to be.
The South may receive bad publicity for its past racial issues, but working through these issues has made the South stronger. From integration 50 years ago to the recent Confederate flag debate, Southerners have worked hard to find solutions to bring people back together.
Most people get along without regard to race, gender, religious beliefs or nationality. They work hard to make each other’s lives better.
Southerners open their arms wide and embrace qualities such as patience, manners, hard work and selflessness. It is a place where the stranger around the corner just might put a smile on your face and make your day a little better.
My experiences in the South have made me believe there is no other place I would rather be. No more doors slammed in my face. No more lugging large amounts of groceries all by myself.
I have had the best and worst of both worlds and after living in both the North and the South, the South gets two thumbs way up. It’s simple. Everything’s better in the South.
Charlie Swanson is a freshman general business administration major. He can be reached at [email protected].