Are You an Expert in Texan Traditions?

First opened in 1950, Whataburger is a late-night staple! Based in San Antonio, there are over 670 of them spread throughout the state. A simple menu and fast service are only two of the things Texans love about the famous chain.

Since 1885, Texans have been enjoying Dr Pepper. Created by pharmacist Charles Alderson, it started off as a fountain drink. There's no way to tell if it's true for certain, but local legend has it that it was named after the father of a girl Alderson had a crush on.

Texas hospitality is so well-known, we probably don't have to tell you about it. Their friendliness extends to their driving, too. If you are driving behind a Texan and you see them pull over to the shoulder and wave, they are graciously letting you pass.

Although not all Texas middle-schoolers participate in a cotillion, it's still a popular tradition. For weeks, attendees brush up their etiquette, their ballroom dancing skills and their manners. Their training comes to a close when they attend a formal dance.

It's very rare for Texas children to get a snow day, so it's perfectly reasonable that they get a "fair day" when the state fair rolls into town. Held in Dallas, the Texas State Fair lasts for 24 days, starting at the end of September.

If you really want to dive deep into Texas traditions, you can't skip out on the barbecue. Franklin Barbecue is one of the state's most famous restaurants. It's not unusual to see people camping out so that they're first in line for the day's limited supply.

What started as the gift of giving a small flower corsage before a homecoming dance has grown into a Texas-sized tradition. You won't see a homecoming court without long garlands of ribbons and chrysanthemums.

The "Sweetheart of the Longhorn Band" first took the field in 1955. Standing over 8 feet high, Big Bertha is almost 100 years old! It's a Texas tradition for The University of Texas at Austin now, but it started life at the University of Chicago.

Move over, Nashville! Texas has a long-standing tradition about cowboy boots, too. You couldn't be considered a Texan unless there are at least two pairs of them in your closet. Any Texan worth their salt knows that you have to have one pair for everyday wear and another for special occasions.

Not everyone in Texas goes to the rodeo to see bull-riding or rodeo clowns. Many visitors go to take in the livestock shows that are usually held in conjunction with them. It's a prize-winning event that many ranchers attend every year.

Texans have such great manners that they don't simply pull over to the side of the road when a funeral procession is coming through. Many of them also get out of their vehicles and stand in respect for the fallen.

Lupinus texensis, or the Texas Bluebonnet, is only found growing naturally in one small part of the world. Texas and three Mexican states are full of their blueish, purplish hue every spring. It's quite common to see drivers pulled over to marvel at their beauty.

Summers in Texas are hot, sometimes hitting the 100s! What better way to cool off than to take a lazy float down a river? Even in the middle of Austin, you can find people floating along peacefully on tubes.

As the second-biggest state in the United States, it's possible to take a vacation without crossing another state border. The state's carefully planned highway make all of its cities accessible by car. Taking a yearly road trip is just part of being a Texan!

If there's one thing that Texans love more than college football or the NFL, it's high school football! High school games are a tradition that's taken as seriously as the Super Bowl. Before jetting off the big leagues, many players get their first fans right in their hometowns!

The pecan is the official nut of Texas, but it's not just a name. Texas' river valleys provide the perfect climate for the trees to naturally grow. In fact, Texas is the only state in the U.S. that grows them commercially. It wouldn't be a holiday dinner without a pecan pie on the table!

Texas takes its meat seriously! There are more cows in Texas than in any other state, and you should learn how to respect the animal while you're there. Texans believe that ordering something cooked to well done is disrespectful because it zaps the meat of all its taste.

Getting food at the gas station might not sound like your idea of a culinary delight, but Texans would beg to differ. Many Texas truck stops and local filling stations have their own grills and gourmet offerings.

From traditional American places to Tex-Mex diners, you'll never be at a loss for something tasty in the Lone Star State. Should you be lucky enough to visit over the holidays, you are sure to take in the state's favorite dish — tamales!

In addition to being the state motto, "friendship" is the actual meaning of Texas. The state has likely taken its name from a pronunciation of a Caddo word. In their language, it also means "ally."

Buc-ee's is headquartered in Lake Jackson, Texas, but it has grown beyond the state's borders. Rather than being a standard truck stop, Buc-ee's is more of a roadside mega-mall. You can find anything and everything you need for a proper Texas road trip there.

Sure, Texans (and their charming Southern drawl) say a lot of things a little differently than other parts of the country. Since Texas produces the most pecans of any state, we're going to go ahead and say they're the experts when they say "pick-ahn."

Trucks are so popular in Texas that many automakers have given the state their own limited editions. With 4.2 million of them registered throughout the state, it's just another way that Texans go big.

Are y'all having a good time with Texas traditions? No matter how many people a Texan is addressing, they will always use the word "y'all." It's also popular in the American Southeast, but Texans have a way of saying it that makes it their own.

Simply put, Texans are proud of being Texans. Neither the state flag or the state's shape are considered off-limits. Texans like to adorn everything from bikinis to tortilla chips with all things Texas.

If you didn't have a collection of koozies, you couldn't possibly call yourself a true Texan. Texans love being outdoors, and there's no better way to keep your drink cold than with a foam koozie. They're common souvenirs, and they're a great way to spread Texas pride.

A Texas football fan wouldn't dream of rooting for an out-of-state team! The biggest game of the year takes place when the Aggies face the Longhorns. You're either on one side, or you're on the other.

Some Texans order sweet tea, and some Texans order unsweetened tea and add sugar to it. Either way, no Texas meal is complete without a large glass of sweet tea poured over ice. Sometimes, Texans even like to brew it in the sun (it's called sun tea).

What do you get when you mix traditional Texas cuisine with Mexico's finest dishes? You get Tex-Mex! You don't have to look far for a salsa-covered burger or a bowl full of chili con queso when you're visiting.

In a state full of ranches, cowboy culture has roots that date back before Texas became a state. It would be tough to find a native Texan who wasn't pushed into a cowboy or cowgirl outfit for at least one set of cute photos. It's a Texas thing!

As if the barbecues aren't enough Texas goodness, chili cook-offs are a huge deal around the Lone Star State. Many cook-offs — like the Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-off — host over 200 hundred chili cooks and stretch over days of competition.

Generally speaking, when you order barbecue in Texas, you order it by the pound. Your slab of meat always comes with a few side dishes and one other element. It wouldn't be Texas barbecue without at least a few slices of plain white bread.

Brisket is a cut of beef that comes from the cow's chest, and it's a Texas specialty. Whether it's smoked for hours or slow-roasted in the oven, it's one of the state's most popular cuts. Franklin Barbecue in Austin sells over 10,000 lbs of it every week.

Like we said before, there's nothing bigger in Texas than high school football. It's taken so seriously that local football players are often interviewed after games, just like NFL superstars!

In both the American South and in Texas, "bless your heart" is another way of saying that you're kind of an idiot. It sounds well-intended, but it's really an expression that means someone is a bit confused by something you just said or that you deserve it.