Hotty Toddy?

On this Thanksgiving morn, I'm watching an episode of "True Life" on MTV. I'm also making pies with homemade pie crusts. This particular show is about being a Southern Belle and guess which college campus MTV decided to use? Ole Miss! However, watching the show gives me some not so nice memories of the South and of my days at my dear alma mater. Although I'm quite happy to have attended the school, I believe that I did not fit in most of the time and that the Southern Belle lifestyle was not one for me. I cannot believe I was even accepted into a sorority, even though they were lucky to have me (my 4.0's boosted their GPA tremendously). The truth is that I never aspired to be anything but myself. My coif was never perfect, my clothes were never the most stylish, and I just never cared to wear a lot of makeup. Although I did end up buying a Chi hair straightener, which has dramatically changed the life of my hair.

So although I was not exactly a pariah at Ole Miss, I definitely did not fit into the mold of Southern hospitality. My peers labeled me as "Northern" because I was from Louisville, Kentucky (imagine that!). I didn't listen to country music, I liked to read classic literature for fun, and I secretly contemplated voting for democratic candidates. Although I didn't actually do the latter until I moved to Massachusetts.

It's funny though, because here in New England, people think I'm particularly Southern, even if I don't have an accent. When I say y'all, pronounce the word Appalachian, or simply have some sort of charm to my personality, I'm automatically targeted as different. My blog's title comes from the irony that even though I'm Southern and live in the North, I really am not a Southern Belle.

If I went back to make a decision about where I went to college, I probably would've chosen a different school because I'm a capricious person. However, I'm glad I have some of the memories and I enjoyed living in the deep South for a few years. I've really had the best of both worlds.