50 States for 50 Students: Texas

What is your name? 

Chloe Fowler.  

Which state are you from? 

Texas. 

Have you lived there your whole life? 

Yes. 

Describe your state in three words. 

Hot, flatish, and diverse. 

Describe the people in your state in three words. 

Outspoken, active, and friendly. 

Are you proud of being from your home state? Why or why not? 

Yes! I think Texas is a great place to be from.  

How did growing up in your state affect your childhood? 

It instilled good values in me and it taught me the importance of freedom.  

What kind of local traditions did your town have? 

Our town would put on a huge music festival called Austin City Limits. Since Austin is really big on music, a bunch of stars would come to perform at the festival. We also have South by Southwest which is a huge conference for music, VR, games, and tons of other things. It’s a huge deal for Austin. Oh, also everyone watches the bats that live under the bridge in downtown Austin.  

Everyday is a different season in Colorado.  

What was the culture like in your home state / town? 

Very friendly but also very unique, especially in Austin. Although there’s a lot of individualistic thinking in Austin. Texas as a whole is very community based. Austin is very hip and there’s less locals there.  

What kind of relationship did you have with your neighbors? 

When I lived in the countryside, we were more spread out so we didn’t see our neighbors as often. But we still had a gate in both of our fences in case they ever wanted to come over.  

What was your favorite thing to do in your home state / town? 

Eat. The food is really good there. There’s so many good BBQ places.  

Are there any foods that your state is famous for? 

Tacos and BBQ. Queso!   

Is there any slang from your home state that you use frequently? 

We have a lot of phrases. “Don’t mess with Texas.” “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” Of course everyone says y’all and all y’all. Everyone just pronounces words a certain way that if you go outside the state people think you’re weird.   

Do you have any local celebrities? 

Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts, and a bunch of people from the Bachelor moved there. Amber Heard was born in Austin, I don’t know if that’s noteworthy. Oh, and Elon Musk! 

Don’t mess with Texas. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of your home state? 

I really love the culture and the food. Texans are also just very united in state pride. If you meet another Texan outside of Texas you have this instant bond. My least favorite part is the humidity and the heat. It’s a bad combo. 

What are your favorite and least favorite parts of Colorado? 

My favorite part of Colorado is how many activities there are to do. And the natural beauty. There’s actually mountains here! My least favorite part is that I never know what to wear because everyday is a different season. I also hate the ice. I love the snow but I hate the ice.  

What drew you to CCU / Colorado? 

I was drawn by the beauty of Colorado and it just felt like home here. It feels like a home away from home.  

How has living in Colorado changed your lifestyle? 

I have to wear more winter clothes now. I enjoy going outside more in the springtime here. Springtime in Austin is miserable because of the allergies and the heat. I am more active here.  

People think we ride horses to school but we do actually own cars. 

If someone were to visit your home state, what would you recommend they do? 

Go paddle boarding in downtown Austin. Eat at different BBQ places like Salt Lick BBQ and Torchy’s Tacos.  

After graduation, do you plan on staying in Colorado, returning to your home state, or going somewhere else? 

I’m not sure yet, but probably Colorado. I don’t plan on moving back to Texas. As much as I think it’s a great place to be from, I don’t wanna move back there.  

What are the most common stereotypes about your state and are they true? 

A big stereotype is that Texans are loud and proud about their state. It’s kind of true but it depends on what Texan you meet. Some are obnoxious and some actually know how to navigate social norms. People think we ride horses to school but we do actually use cars. People think Texas is just flat and full of dead grass and tumbleweeds.  

What is the most common reaction you get when you tell people where you’re from? 

Depends on where I am. People from other countries think it’s really cool. They have a different idea of Texas versus the rest of the U.S. People from Colorado say, “Oh, you too? Another one?”  

What is something surprising about your state that most people don’t know? 

There’s actually some really pretty parts of Texas with different lakes and streams and rock formations.