South Carolina—where tea is sweet, manners are serious, and college football rivalries ruin perfectly good Thanksgiving dinners. If you’ve ever given someone directions based on a Piggly Wiggly, defended the honor of boiled peanuts, or described 90°F with 100% humidity as “a little muggy,” then you’re full-on Palmetto State certified. If these 11 things seem totally normal, congratulations—you’re South Carolina through and through, bless your heart.
You Assume Tea Comes Sweet Unless Told Otherwise
Asking for unsweet tea gets you a long pause and a very polite side-eye.
You Know “Bless Your Heart” Has at Least Three Different Meanings
Sweet sympathy, quiet judgment, or open warfare—it’s all in the tone.
You Know How to Pronounce “Beaufort” and Can Instantly Tell Who’s Not From Around Here
Hint: If you say “BOO-fert,” just go ahead and pack up your beach chair.
You Treat Boiled Peanuts Like a Gourmet Snack
Salty, soggy, weird to outsiders—and absolutely addictive.
You Think 80 Degrees on Christmas is Totally Reasonable
Santa wears flip-flops here and no one questions it.
You Know College Football Isn’t Just a Sport—It’s a Religion
You’re either a Gamecock or a Tiger. And you do not switch teams.
You’ve Given Directions Using at Least One Waffle House and a Gas Station That “Used to Be a Hardee’s”
Turn left after the second Waffle House. Not the one near the bypass—the other one.
You’ve Experienced the Power of a Lowcountry Boil and Never Looked Back
Shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes—and a spiritual awakening.
You Own Monogrammed Everything and Think Seersucker Is Year-Round Fashion
Bonus points if your dog also has a monogrammed bandana.
You Know “The Beach” Means Myrtle, Unless Otherwise Specified
And you definitely have opinions about whether it’s worth going during Bike Week.
You Wave at Strangers Because That’s Just What You Do Here
Doesn’t matter if you’ve never met. That’s neighborly, y’all.
If this list made you nod while sipping sweet tea on a screened-in porch, congrats—you’re South Carolina to the bone. So pull up a rocking chair, crack open some boiled peanuts, and enjoy the slower pace of life—because here in the Palmetto State, we do things our own sweet, steamy, Southern way.
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