You Know You’re from Oklahoma If…

You know you’re from Oklahoma if you’ve ever had to explain that no, we’re not all cowboys, but yes, we have definitely outrun a tornado or two. And we did it in a two-wheel-drive pickup with at least one bald tire, on dirt roads, with granny's casserole riding shotgun.

You know you’re from Oklahoma if your internal clock is set to tornado sirens at noon on whichever day they blow in your town, and the phrase “Turnpike Road Construction” instantly ruins your whole day.

If you've argued with someone over which Braum’s is the good one, which Walmart is the 'nice one,' or you’ve driven 30 minutes out of your way just to get a fresh bag of 'the good ice,' congrats. You're pretty much an Okie.

Welcome home.

If you instinctively say “bless their heart” before launching into a diatribe of absolute character assassination.

If you’ve stood outside during a storm, looked up at the green sky, and said, “It’s probably fine.”

If you've known at least one person who hit a deer, a hog, and a buzzard all in the same year, and blamed the deer, yep, you're an Okie.

Oklahomans are built different.

We think “sweater weather” means anything under 75°, and our state Zoomers think hoodies are proper attire in the depths of the summer heat.

We’ve watched football games in short sleeves, winter coats, and stuck around to see who scores during a random November tornado outbreak all in the same game.

If you’ve ever parked your truck backwards at an event to give yourself the advantage of being the first one out of the parking lot… You're an Okie.

There’s a strange comfort in everything that makes up an Okie. You don't have to be from Oklahoma, you just have to live here. Whether you're brand new to the Sooner State or a lifer, here are some pro-tips to get you right in the groove of Oklahoma.

• Eat the fry bread at a powwow.
• Learn to love the way the wind slaps you sideways in the morning.
• Master the two-finger steering wheel wave.
• Discover who Will Rogers and Wiley Post were.
• Understand that a pickup is an acceptable family vehicle.

You'll also need to pick a college football team to root for. OU Sooners or OSU Cowboys are safe picks, but the dark horse Okies sport the SWOSU Bulldogs and Tulsa gear.

Here's the lingo...