10 Things I’ve Learned Living in Charlotte

When I moved from Philly to Charlotte in 2021, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I was excited for warmer weather, hiking and beach trips, and having a new city to call my own. What I got was a lot more than that, mostly good, except for the cockroaches…

Here are 10 things a Northerner turned Southerner has learned since living in Charlotte.

1. Pimento cheese is a way of life. Smother that staple on biscuits, grits, and basically anything edible.

2. Everyone is moving here, and the highways can’t keep up. Help?

3. The BBQ really is bigger and better. Just don’t ask me to choose between NC and SC sauces…

4. Winter is mild and manageable, and I. am. here. for. it.

5. Cockroaches are alive and well, and spiders are no longer my biggest fear.

6. There’s no shortage of Bojangles, Waffle Houses, and Dollar Stores around here…oh, and Walmarts.

7. Everyone and their mother plays golf. What’s up with that?

8. Breweries are so abundant I should probably buy stock in beer.

9. College football is more important than the NFL, and that just seems wrong to me.

10. People really do say, “Bless her heart,” and I love it.