Written by I once read that you must spend 10 years in New York before you can call yourself a New Yorker, does the same apply to a city like Houston? I like to think not. What makes a person an official Houstonian is not the amount of time spent here, but the experiences gained, both good and bad.
I moved to Houston in 2009 from a small town in southwest Michigan, so obviously there was a bit of a culture shock when I arrived. From the drastic differences in weather to the variety of cultures, there are so many things that make Houston a unique place to live. Here is a list of 5 things that you must experience in order to call yourself a Houstonian.
1. Saying Your First “Y’all”
Houston is the fourth largest city in the U.S. but still maintains its southern charm and hospitality. One of the defining moments in a northerners life when transplanting to Houston is the first use of the word “Y’all.” Similar to a child mumbling his/her first “mama,” you can almost hear the cheering after you have put any previous verb conjugation used to address a group behind. For me, that word was “you guys,” pronounced with the infamous nasally Midwestern accent. I consciously made the change when I noticed the ease and quickness that comes with “Y’all,” anything else is just too complicated.
2. Walking Outside to See Your Car Broken Into
Remember that part at the beginning when I said the good and the bad? If you live near downtown Houston, then you probably have had a similar experience to mine. Woke up in the morning to find one of my car windows had been shattered. Fortunately for me, the only item stolen was a bag containing a dollar store toothbrush, toothpaste, and some shaving cream. I’m sure whoever took it was pretty disappointed when they realized. The frustrating part is having to pay to repair the damages. Lesson learned: never leave anything that even looks of value in your car, day or night.
3. A Run Through Memorial Park
Memorial Park is to Houston what Central Park is to New York, the best place to people watch. The park has many trails that you can run, walk or ride bikes through and it doesn’t take long to realize this is the place to be for any fitness fanatic. Most days from 5 pm to around 8 pm the crowds come roaring in to get their afternoon workouts. My suggestion is to bring a big pair of glasses so nobody can tell you’re checking them out.
4. Suffered a Rodeo Hangover
Studded boots and cowboy hats are what’s in fashion every year in late February through March when the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo rides into town. Although it sounds like a bunch of cows and horses, it’s actually a really cool organization. The rodeo supports educational efforts for youth throughout Texas while showcasing western heritage. Houstonians know its rodeo season when the annual barbecue cook-off takes place, which is a booze-filled contest to see who can cook the best barbecue. Every night throughout March there is a Livestock show which includes bull riding and horse racing and finishes off with a live concert by a well-known artist. This is a must for anyone who lives here, and needless to say, little sleep happens during the season for the dedicated Houstonian.
5. Seen the light of day after a Hurricane
Anyone who has lived in Houston long enough has experienced the effects of a hurricane. For me, this came in 2017 with Hurricane Harvey, when we were all glued to the television watching the endless amount of rescues that took place. The area I live in was not flooded, but leaving the house for about a week was difficult, due to the entire city being closed. At one point, I remember looking out the window and uttering the lines from the movie Forest Gump when he describes being in Vietnam …
“We been through every kind of rain there is. Little bitty stingin’ rain … and big ol’ fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath.”
At the time I giggled, but the damages did turn out to be devastating to the city, with some estimating up to $180 billion. Mind blown!
In a city with over 2.3 million people, there are so many things to do and experience, just when I think I have seen it all, I discover another piece of the puzzle. This is my list of the five things that make you an official Houstonian, what would you add? Leave a comment below with your unique Houston experiences.
Michael D. Gould 