10 things Aussies do that would blow people’s minds in other countries

1. Schoolies

Yes, people from other countries celebrate when they graduate from high school too, but they do it with a touch more decorum. No where else in the world do you get such a consistent convergence of school leavers all heading to exactly the same place, with the intention of drinking it out of pink Cruisers and making bad decisions (before being bailed out by charity workers with red frogs).

2. ‘No hat no play’

Maybe our wild schoolies antics are a result of how strict we had it in primary school? Aussies teachers don’t mess around when it comes to “no hat no play” – and given how strong our sun is – for good reason.

3. Chicken salt

The days where $2 worth of chips would feed a family may be gone, but we still love chicken salt. And every Aussie worth their salt knows how to add the perfect amount. This is up there with Vegemite scrolls, barefoot bowls and two up as a classic Aussie invention.

Picture: Reddit

4. Being ‘girt’

“By sea.” Oh and there’s also toiling – a lot of toiling.

5. Informal queueing

As quintissentially Aussie-named Reddit user Millenniumham_shrimp recently pointed out on Reddit, informal queuing, “like at the deli counter or the pub,” is another thing that distinguishes Aussies.

“The ability to know your place in the queue without there being an actual line,” he said.

“No you were next mate.”

Another Reddit user added: “Nothing reduces a citizen of a queueing nation to despair more quickly than travelling in a non-queuing nation and watching what happens at a bus station.”

6. Our love of Tina Turner

Another weird Aussie quirk? The fact that whenever a Tina Turner song about a small town in Tennessee comes on, “everyone in the vicinity starts line dancing.”

You can thank fittingly-named Reddit user dancing-on-my-own for that one.

7. We have to swim between flags

This comes as a surprise to people used to swimming in the Med. But as they soon realise – it’s usually for your own good.

8. We have a strong police presence

Compared to somewhere like, say, Spain, we’re basically a police state, when it comes to things like drinking in public or getting breath tested while driving. A lot of other countries are a lot more relaxed about these kind of things. For better and worse.

9. You can drive for days and still be in the same state

Worse: If one of the borders is closed into WA, it’s almost 8000km to get to the other one.

10. You can drive 5,800km all while experiencing the same culture

As Reddit user MisterBumpingston explains, the East coast can feel pretty same-y.

“One year I decided to do my longest road trip Melbourne to Sydney to Brisbane to Noosa Heads the long way along the coast then shortcut back.”

“Was 5800 km experiencing pretty much the same culture and food. Amazing beaches and scenery, at least.”

This article first appeared in escape.com.au as 10 things Aussies do that would blow people’s minds in other countries