I've been here long enough to know which stereotypes are BS and which ones are dead on. The big trucks one? Absolutely real. Every third vehicle on the highway is an F-150 or bigger.
But the cowboy boots everywhere thing? Mostly only at certain bars and rodeos from what I've seen.
Which stereotypes did you think were exaggerated but turned out to be completely accurate?
High school football being a religion. I thought people were exaggerating. Then I saw a high school stadium bigger than most college stadiums. These people are not playing.
The friendliness is real. People wave at strangers, hold doors, and make small talk in checkout lines. Moved from the northeast and this took months to get used to.
Whataburger loyalty is not a meme. People here will defend that place with their lives. I said it was mid ONE TIME and almost got run out of the office.
Texas pride. I've never lived anywhere where people fly the state flag more than the US flag. And they're not being ironic about it.
The weather changing 40 degrees in one day. I've worn shorts and a jacket in the same 12 hour period. Multiple times.
Everything IS bigger. The steaks, the trucks, the highways, the distances, the portions. My first time ordering a "small" drink here I got what I'd call a large anywhere else.