Fried food. Animal showcases. A huge ferris wheel. Rides and carnival games galore. An auto show. Big Tex. People from all over Texas crowd into Fair Park to take part in fall festivities and showcase their state pride. The State Fair of Texas is the Lone Star State at its biggest and best. Supposedly.

I have lived in Texas all of my life, but I have never visited the fair. My parents always saw it as too much money, too many people and too hot. This year I finally decided to utilize my school-given fair ticket and see what this event was all about.

Overall, I had a good time. Going anywhere with a group of friends is fun, and when swan paddle boats are involved, the fun factor increases by at least 15 percent. That said, the fair itself was underwhelming. With all of the hype I’ve seen over the years, I expected a spectacle. The state fair is supposed to represent Texas in all its ostentatious glory. In reality, it was basically like a Six Flags, except the rides were lamer and the food was more fried. I was nervous that the small carnival-esque rides would fall apart as I was on them, and the “scary houses” were anything but. It was a box with haphazard black curtain walls and Halloween decorations from a party store.

The only thing truly “Texas-sized” were the prices. Just three rides, one fried object and one smoothie left my wallet empty. I was dying for water and without the funds to get any. Also, when Big Tex talks, it’s creepy. It’s not charming. His voice is deep and loud and disturbing. In the end, I found myself wishing that I skipped the fair all together and spent a more cost-effective day at the Dallas Museum of Art. Instead I spent my day off sweating and surrounded by consumerists with a big sense of southern pride. Woo.