{"id":638,"date":"2022-10-25T21:47:29","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T21:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xome.com\/blog\/?p=638"},"modified":"2022-10-26T21:12:48","modified_gmt":"2022-10-26T21:12:48","slug":"21-things-you-should-know-before-moving-to-atlanta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cloud-prod.xome.com\/blog\/21-things-you-should-know-before-moving-to-atlanta\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Atlanta"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Moving to a different part of the country can be a big switch, especially if you’re changing climates and cultures. But if you’re heading down south, prepare to be charmed by all that Atlanta, Georgia has to offer. It’s what you might call…a real peach of a city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Prepare to get lost figuring out which Peachtree street you\u2019re on<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Peachtree Street, Drive, Avenue, Circle…they’re everywhere in Atlanta. This will be tough at first, but you\u2019ll get the hang of it eventually. Until then, the GPS is your best friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Light snow = zombie apocalypse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A light dusting of snow may look pretty, but don’t be deceived. Even when it snows less than an inch, get ready to see the grocery store get raided as if the The Walking Dead<\/em> wasn’t just a TV show filmed in Atlanta. Welcome to winter in the South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Chick-Fil-A is everywhere<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Chick-Fil-A was founded in the great state of Georgia. You’ll be able to get your waffle fry fix all over town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. It’s Atlanta, not Hotlanta.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Just don’t, unless you want everyone to know you’re not from around here. The only time it\u2019s acceptable to say “Hotlanta” is if it\u2019s immediately followed by you rolling your eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. OTP = outside the city<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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OTP might stand for something else where you’re originally from, but in Atlanta it simply means “on the perimeter” \u2014 as in outside the perimeter of Atlanta city limits, AKA the suburbs. ITP stands for…you guessed it…inside the perimeter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. If you ever plan on flying home, get to the airport a day before<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Airports are busy these days, and that goes double for Atlanta \u2014 Hartsfield\u2013Jackson is the busiest airport in the United States. This means you\u2019ll have to get your flight at least two hours before take off to get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. A Greasy hotdog from The Varsity is heaven<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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“What\u2019ll ya have?” Get ready to hear that three times in a row when you get to the biggest drive-thru restaurant in the world. One of the cool things about The Varsity is they make most of their menu items from scratch with local ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. The highway is…not the fastest way to get there<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In other cities, highways are used to get around quickly. In Atlanta, taking the highway is reserved for when you actually want<\/em> to be late to dinner with your in-laws. Avoid the “spaghetti junction” (where I-285 meets the I-85) at all costs during rush hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. You\u2019re no longer allowed to drink Pepsi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sorry, friend, but this is a Pepsi-free zone. The headquarters of Coca-Cola is in Midtown Atlanta, which means Coke is on tap anywhere and everywhere. But don’t worry \u2014 after a few months in Atlanta, you\u2019ll actually spend time convincing people back home why they should drink Coke over Pepsi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Being a sports fan has its ups and downs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Are you a masochist? Well, you\u2019ve moved to the right town. Every year it seems like either the Falcons, Braves or Hawks will bring home a trophy for the city. Then the seasons start and Atlanta fans are disappointed again. But hey, things may be looking up…the Braves brought home a World Series championship in 2021!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. It’s actually pronounced \u201cAtlanna\u201d (no, really)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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We know that’s not what it looks like…but you\u2019ll notice pretty quickly that locals drop the second \u201ct\u201d when saying Atlanta. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Be prepared for more Southern speak, too<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You’ll get used to people saying other things in a uniquely Atlanta way, too. Take “Ponce de Leon,” for instance. It\u2019s the not famous explorer you learned about in history class. Rather, it\u2019s a popular avenue, which is usually just referred to as \u201cPonce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. The Underground is not the place to be…yet.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The city is in the process of revamping The Underground, a downtown destination for shopping and more that hasn’t always been a local favorite. But soon there will be a hotel, live music, restaurants, and more. For now, skip the shopping and check out the Banksy exhibit<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Locals identify themselves by the hospital in which they were born<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Be prepared to be asked if you\u2019re a Grady, Emory or Northside baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Atlanta is home to the greatest touchdown dance ever<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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