12 Foolproof Ways To Make Someone From North Carolina Cringe

It’s safe to say North Carolinians are very proud of our state. We take great pride in calling this beautiful place home and will defend it to the death. Yet, while some things are blatantly obvious no-nos, other things an out-of-stater might say just rub us the wrong way, and really, they might not even realize it. Want to make a North Carolinian cringe? Here are 12 ways.

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1. Brag that you don't like Bojangles...or Cookout...or worse, that you've never even tried them. Flickr / Manicosity From cajun filet biscuits, to delicious BBQ sandwiches in a drive-thru, the steal of a Cookout platter, or even one of their multiple milkshake flavors...don't knock it till you've really tried it. 2. Mock our use of 'ma'am,' y'all, sir etc. Flickr / Lacy There's nothing worse than having someone make fun of a southern accent or dialect...while they're in the south. What did you expect? 3. Compare your home state's rivalries to UNC V Duke. Looking at you, Ohio State and Michigan. Flickr / Max Masnick While there are plenty of amazing rivalries from college level to the pros, nothing truly compares to UNC V Duke. 4.Saying "AppaLAYshun..." Flickr / Ken Lane True North Carolinians know the correct pronunciation is...AppaLACHian. There's no LAY shun in there. 5. Mix up the styles of BBQ. Flickr / Wally Gobetz People make mistakes, but when you say Lexington style is whole hog, vinegar-based and vice versa...it just looks bad on all of us. BBQ, and the two styles, are a very sensitive subject for most North Carolinians. Even if you haven't tried both, at least know the difference. 6. Talk about how well you handle snow days in your state...we don't care. Flickr / gotmikhail? Awesome, it snows like 100 days a year where you're from and you're well prepared. Here, we relish in our random snow days. 8. Assume we're just like South Carolina....there's a reason we're on top. Flickr / Travis There's also a reason the roads become horrible as soon as you pass the state border into SC. 9. On that note....Assume everyone in North Carolina is a southern, country bumpkin. Flickr / Extra Zebra North Carolinians are some of the most diverse breeds of people you'll ever encounter. No two are truly alike. While many are 'southern,' that's a broad term here in the Tar Heel state. 10. Say you "don't like the outdoors." Flickr / RobinJP Fresh air, tall peaks, cascading waterfalls, salty beach air...you'll find most of us outside make the most of our scenery. If you can't appreciate the outdoors well, you might just be from a state where it snows 100 days a year. 11. Say you "hate sweet tea." Flickr / Cassia Noelle As a young child, I remember being appalled to find out sweet tea ceased to exist outside of the Mason Dixon line. This sweet, southern elixir is a staple at every dinner table. If you don't like it, well, bless your heart. 12. Assume North Carolina is just the beach or mountains. Flickr / Jim Denham Sure, our beaches and mountains are stunning; but there's so much more - the Foothills, Piedmont, Sandhills region, eastern coastal plains...I could go on and on about how beautiful the Tar Heel state is.

I tried to keep it pretty lighthearted and funny…but are there any others you’d add? Any you agree with?

While we’re on this subject, let’s flip perspectives with 15 things longtime North Carolinians wish they could tell newcomers.