Like many people, I find myself having a lot of thoughts when I’m away from my home state. Thoughts like “Why didn’t that stranger smile back?” and “What is this patent absurdity that they are daring to call sweet tea?” People who move away from Arkansas have similar feelings, except more often and with more homesickness. Below you’ll find a list of 17 things everyone who has moved away from Arkansas has thought at least once, but more than likely millions and millions of times. These thoughts are perfectly normal, but it’s fine with us if y’all all want to move back home.
- “Why are there so many people here?”
Flickr/Lovro Rumiha Unless you’ve moved to somewhere like Montana, which has far more land than it does people, you’ve probably noticed that Arkansas is sparsely populated compared to other states.
- “What do you mean there’s no Walmart in this town?”
Flickr/Jo Naylor Walmarts: Arkansas has them, because we’re their home base.
- “Where’s all the nature?”
Flickr/Jonathan Ball Sure, other places have nature, but come on…they don’t hold a candle to the Natural State. It’s right there in the nickname.
- “Ugh. These prices are downright unfriendly.”
Flickr/Clinton Steeds Arkansas’s cost of living is one of the lowest in the nation.
- “What do you mean I have to drive several hours to get to a state park?”
Flickr/robert thigpen With 52 state parks, you’re never far away from one in the Natural State.
- “I miss the trees.”
Flickr/Dave Thomas Over half of Arkansas land is forested. We’ve got trees everywhere.
- “I need a scenic overlook like right now.”
Flickr/Tonya Stinson Sometimes you just need to look out over a gorgeous place, and Arkansas is full of spots where you can do just that.
- “Where are all the planted fields?”
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM Sure, Iowa has corn, but when it comes to agriculture, especially rice production, nowhere in the United States can outdo Arkansas.
- “I was wrong about how terrible the traffic is in Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock. I miss that traffic now.”
Flickr/Whatknot As anyone who has driven through Dallas or L.A. or Atlanta can tell you, Arkansas traffic on its worst day is better than a major city’s traffic on its best day.
- “Why don’t they ask me what kind of Coke I want?"
Flickr/Rachael Moore This one is especially true if you move away from the South. Outside of the South, you better tell your host or hostess that you want a Dr. Pepper if you want a Dr. Pepper.
- “Would people think I’m crazy if I just stood up and called the hogs right now?”
Flickr/Mark Barron Maybe. See, if you were back home you’d probably make new friends that way.
- “This food is not as good as the food back home.”
Flickr/lmelda Also some places put really weird things on chicken fried steak. If you’re in a position to stop that nonsense, please do. It is an affront to common decency to put peas on chicken fried steak instead of gravy.
- “What a terrible day. I’m calling my grandma to get her biscuit recipe right now.”
Flickr/manda_wong There’s just no comfort like from-scratch biscuit comfort.
- “Y’all call THIS a tomato?”
Flickr/Paul Woods There are no tomatoes like Arkansas tomatoes.
- “My accent is totally normal and y’all need to get used to it.”
Flickr/Piedmont Council for the Arts It’s not adorable. It doesn’t make us stupid. It’s not charming. It’s just regular English with a little gravy on top.
- “This state is not as cool as Arkansas.”
Flickr/provenio Well, it’s probably not. Bless your heart.
- “I’m going home.”
Flickr/Caleb Zahnd Well, we’d be glad to have ya back, honey. You’re always welcome here.
For reasons other states think Arkansas is weird, click here. To see a list of things we always have to explain to out-of-towners, check out these.
Flickr/Lovro Rumiha
Unless you’ve moved to somewhere like Montana, which has far more land than it does people, you’ve probably noticed that Arkansas is sparsely populated compared to other states.
Flickr/Jo Naylor
Walmarts: Arkansas has them, because we’re their home base.
Flickr/Jonathan Ball
Sure, other places have nature, but come on…they don’t hold a candle to the Natural State. It’s right there in the nickname.
Flickr/Clinton Steeds
Arkansas’s cost of living is one of the lowest in the nation.
Flickr/robert thigpen
With 52 state parks, you’re never far away from one in the Natural State.
Flickr/Dave Thomas
Over half of Arkansas land is forested. We’ve got trees everywhere.
Flickr/Tonya Stinson
Sometimes you just need to look out over a gorgeous place, and Arkansas is full of spots where you can do just that.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM
Sure, Iowa has corn, but when it comes to agriculture, especially rice production, nowhere in the United States can outdo Arkansas.
Flickr/Whatknot
As anyone who has driven through Dallas or L.A. or Atlanta can tell you, Arkansas traffic on its worst day is better than a major city’s traffic on its best day.
Flickr/Rachael Moore
This one is especially true if you move away from the South. Outside of the South, you better tell your host or hostess that you want a Dr. Pepper if you want a Dr. Pepper.
Flickr/Mark Barron
Maybe. See, if you were back home you’d probably make new friends that way.
Flickr/lmelda
Also some places put really weird things on chicken fried steak. If you’re in a position to stop that nonsense, please do. It is an affront to common decency to put peas on chicken fried steak instead of gravy.
Flickr/manda_wong
There’s just no comfort like from-scratch biscuit comfort.
Flickr/Paul Woods
There are no tomatoes like Arkansas tomatoes.
Flickr/Piedmont Council for the Arts
It’s not adorable. It doesn’t make us stupid. It’s not charming. It’s just regular English with a little gravy on top.
Flickr/provenio
Well, it’s probably not. Bless your heart.
Flickr/Caleb Zahnd
Well, we’d be glad to have ya back, honey. You’re always welcome here.
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