Things I Have Learned Since Moving to Columbia, MO

1. High temperatures mean nothing.
The saying "The weatherman is never right" has a whole new meaning. Throughout August I learned that it doens't really matter what the "high" temperature is going to be for that day...always check the heat index. That's what is will really feel like outside and what really matters when getting ready for the day. When they say the high will be 95...that's just what the thermometer measures, but it could feel as hot as 116 degrees. Not a lie, they tested it everyday at football practice during two-a-days. Adjusting to humidity has been different, but it's still not as bad as Houston. I am going to go ahead and make an assumption that this works both ways, come winter time I am already prepared to only care about the wind chill.

2. Cracking your car windows is a MUST.
This ties into the fact that the heat index is usually at least 10 degrees above the actual high. Several times in August I forgot to crack my windows...I thought I might melt when I got in my car. It's the end of September and I am still having to crack my windows. If you forget, your car is rather toasty when you get in.

3. Always scope out the terrain if you decide to go run.
I live beside a golf course. My apartments are called the Country Club Apartments and behind my apartments are several nice houses. One day in July or August I decided I was going to go run a little bit through the neighborhood, because it is what I would consider a nice neighborhood. First of all I waited until about 8 pm to do this--see high temperature comments above. I had recently gotten home and drove through the neighborhood to see how far it was. I think it was about a mile, so I thought oh that won't be too bad, I will survive. So as I take off running I realize that I am running slightly downhill and the thought crosses my mind, if I am running downhill now...I must run uphill to get back. Well I survived that, barely, but then decided that my running through that neighborhood quickly came to a stop. Just because in your car you don't seem to be going through hilly land, when you start running, you quickly realize this. This was NEVER a problem when I decided to go running in Tulia, Lubbock, or Sunray.

4. Road names are subject to change at ANYTIME.
When asking for direction to some place, make sure you are positive which street/road you are supposed to be on. Roads are CRAZY around here. They can change names randomly in the middle of the street. For example, one road that is near my house has at least 5 names, there may be more, I just don't know them, yet. When traveling from east to west, it starts as New Haven Road, then changes to Route AC, then to Old 63, then to Grindstone Parkway, then to Nifong. Those are the ones I know so far, I am sure there are more names. This can be very confusing when you first move here...and that is just an example of one.

5. Schools get out early ALL THE TIME for high temperatures.
I was AMAZED one day. I hear on the radio that all Columbia Public Schools are getting out at noon because of the high temperatures. Apparently quite a few of the schools don't have air conditioning in them (this is craziness, hello we are in the 21st century, pay some money to get AC) so when the heat index gets to high, they don't go to school. I understand this is a safety issue, BUT hello, this is obviously something that happens quite often so why would you not put in air conditioning units or find some way to help this situation other than just cancelling school....don't you have to make up those days. My question about the third day this happened--do they have heaters or do they not go half the time in the winter either. I know last year school was cancelled for at least a week becuase there were 2 inches of ice and 14 inches of snow on the ground. Pure craziness if you ask me. In Texas, it's hot outside, you still go to school, whether you have air conditioning or not...cause we HATE making up days later!

6. Common courtesy while driving doesn't exsist.
I miss the waves. Plain and simple, you meet someone on the highway, wave. Whether it is your whole hand, a few fingers, or simply the index finger wave, just do it. It's not that hard. That doesn't happen at all around here. One that really drives me nuts though is at times around campus traffic is very busy. If I let you change lanes into my lane in front of me, or I let you turn onto the street I am on...WAVE. It's a simple thank you. You let me in someone I am going to wave and you and make sure you see it. These Missourians apparently don't believe in this. I guess they just expect you to let them in. I don't get road rage, but when you don't say thanks for letting me in, it really makes me mad. (Sorry I had to get that rant off my chest).

7. These people just don't understand Southern.
Daily I am made fun of the way I talk. Half of the time I have to repeat myself because people don't understand me. I am from the South, we all talk like this. Nobody down there thinks I talk funny. Yes I am "fixin" to do something. I've been here about 2 1/2 months and people still make fun of me for "fixin" to do something. That's just one of the things that they think is strange. I love my southern accent and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I'm Texas born and bred and I am proud of it! :)

Well those are just a few of the things I have learned since living here. I am sure I will post more later.