More so than any other city in Texas, Austin has developed an easily identifiable reputation. According to the rest of the world, we’re a bunch of granola-loving, liberal hipsters who love live music, the outdoors, barbecue, and breakfast tacos. Very few of us Austinites consider these traits attributable to us, but we all know people who fit each one.
This reputation makes it easy for the Internet in all its anonymity and sarcasm to parody Austin. Sometimes the memes aren’t very flattering, but here are 10 memes that totally capture what it’s like to live in Austin.
We spend a lot of time in traffic
It takes a long time to get anywhere in Austin. We plan early and leave with plenty of time, but traffic sometimes makes us late anyway. People around here understand.
Dirty Sixth (I.E. 6th Street) Has REALLY Earned Its Nickname
If you want to go out drinking, Austin’s entertainment district holds its own with any other town … except maybe New Orleans, but they’re on a whole other level.
We Don’t Understand Or Prepare For “Winter” At All
Texans look at snow differently than people who live in cooler climates. What a New Yorker or Bostonite might call a light dusting, Austinites call a blizzard. If there is even the hint of ice or snow on the roads, we call it a snow day and enjoy.
We Love Our City, But Lie About It To Discourage People From Moving Here
We like the economic boost from tourists, and we love our festivals, but the overcrowding is getting worse with every passing day. So, some of us who’ve been here for a while have taken matters into our own hands. (I.E. We’ll go out of our way to make your stay fun, all while discouraging you from moving here. Yeah, it’s weird, but we’re alright with that.)
We Have our own Style
People in Austin wear pretty much whatever they want whenever they want. And the hipsters aren’t confined only to the east side. You’ll see them everywhere. They’re almost as common as guys in shorts and flip-flops.
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It Can Seem Like Everyone is a Musician
Really, you learn at least three chords just through osmosis. But seriously, there are some crazy talented musicians here.
It isn’t Cheap to Live Here
Local politicians give lip service to affordability, but year after year it keeps getting more and more expensive to live in Austin. Rents are going up all over the city as property values skyrocket, and that’s having some unfortunate effects on the truly “weird” side of our city. The working-class people who make Austin so awesome are gradually being priced out of the city, much like other so-called “tech hubs” such as San Francisco and New York. We’re just not nearly as big… Yet.
The Summers Really are Stiflingly Hot
The long days make it nice to play outside well into the evening hours, but the trade off is a routine daily temperature near or above 100 degrees in July and August. For people sick of extreme winters and mild summers, this is heaven. For all of us who are used to it… Well, we just try to avoid killing each other during the worse of those months. (Key word being try.)
Waiting Hours for Barbecue is a Real Thing
You better get in line early if you want to eat lunch at Austin’s iconic barbecue joints. Whether it’s Franklin BBQ, Kerlin BBQ, Micklethwait Craft Meats, or just some good ol’ Lamberts, expect to wait if you don’t have a reservation of some kind.
WE Can Definitely Take A Joke
Sure, Austin can be an easy punching bag, but it’s the people who live here that mock the city best because we do it with love. No matter how you look at it, Austin, Texas is an amazing city and one of the best places to live in the whole United States of America.
