12 Things You Only Understand If You Grew Up in Petal, MS

Here are 12 things you will only understand if you grew up in Petal, MS:

1. Your fall Friday nights were spent at Petal football games and then at Sonic where you probably ran into half the school.

Whether you sat outside at the red tables or in your car, this is where everyone celebrated a Panther win or mourned a loss.

2. In middle school, your weekends were spent at the skating rink.

Which was conveniently located right behind Sonic! You got your mom to drop you off at the skating rink and pick you up at Sonic a few hours later.

3. The Petal vs. Oak Grove rivalry was so real.

Everyone from your teachers, to your grandmother, to the little girls with bows the size of their heads would do anything to defend Petal, even though some of them probably didn’t actually know the meaning of “FOG.”

4. 99% of high school gatherings included a bonfire.

Let’s be real. Bonfires were a thing no matter the time of year. If more than 5 people were getting together, there was likely a bonfire (and probably the beginning of a field party).

5. Speaking of a field party, the place to stock up was Blue Chevron.

No explanation necessary.

6. Whether celebrating a family birthday or eating with friends after church, El Mariachi was the place to go.

But TBH it was a game changer when Taco Bell opened.

7. The school staff was insanely strict.

I don’t know about y’all but I got detention for wearing shorts half-an-inch too short the week before school got out.

8. You’ve probably been so bored you drove to see “the blue hippo.”

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go down that big hill that turns off of 3-mile-cut-off and you’ll find it eventually.

9. The school is so big, you can be in the same grade as someone and not know until graduation.

I didn’t know until my senior English class that some people were still in high school.

10. After graduation, half of your class went to Jones County Junior College.

Great way to save money on classes, but you’ll be stuck in 13th grade.

11. You know at least 5 people who have gotten married and/or had children since high school.

I’m about to be one of them.

12. And finally, you’ll never really be able to completely leave.

Even if you leave Petal, your family never will, and you’ll definitely run into people you went to high school with when you come home for holidays.