Ok, it’s time to admit it – growing up in Wisconsin might make you a little strange. All the unique, wonderful things we love about our state might also be the things that make us seem a bit off to everyone else. They’re the quirks that make us wonderful Wisconsinites, but maybe life here should come with a warning: “Side effects may include …”
We’ve gone ahead and sourced some serious side effects that most folks from Wisconsin tend to find themselves exhibiting over time. Take a look and see if you can find some of your own quirks on the list. There’s truly no experience like growing up in Wisconsin, living in Wisconsin, loving Wisconsin. How many did we get right? Leave your thoughts in the comments below and perhaps suggest a few fun things for yourself!
- You find yourself craving cheese.
Flickr/ClarkMaxwell This one is especially for anyone who’d lived away from Wisconsin for a bit. I think that distance really helps you understand how truly spoiled we are. We can buy cheese at highway-side gas stations that kicks most other state’s cheese selections out of the water. There’s just really nowhere else who’s residents think “you know, a Hook’s aged cheddar would really make this dish.”
- You consider anything above 40 degrees to be shorts weather.
Flickr/Lisa Moffatt There’s nothing better than being on vacation in a different climate and being able to spot the midwesterners. We’re the ones who’ll remind you it has to be at least 32 degrees to snow, so a blizzard is usually actually a warm up. Growing up in Wisconsin will do that to you!
- You’re convinced you don’t have an accent.
Flickr/Melissa Baldwin We’re not quite so bad as Fargo, and we don’t “Doncha know” quite as badly as Minnesotans, but whether you’re drawing out the “O” in soda or the “A” in bag, it’s usually pretty obvious where that accent comes from. Of course, you’ll tell anyone you ever encounter that not only do you not have an accent, but the midwest dialect is what they teach people in acting school as “American.” It’s just one of the weird things about Wisconsin.
- You find the concept of four distinct seasons laughable.
PublicDomainPictures.net I suppose techinically we have all four of them, but often Spring forgets itself and it snows into May or Fall gets confused and it’s 75 in October. Plus, none of this accounts for Construction Season, so basically I think the four seasons thing they teach you in school is a big myth.
- You automatically reply “yes” when someone offers you Packer tickets even if it’s going to be miserable out.
Flickr/Santiago Bilinkis Not only that, but you’ll thank them profusely and think it was the best time ever! If you live near Green Bay, you’ll volunteer to shovel snow off the bleachers and then you’ll show up and snuggle in with your bench mates. Then you’ll lament when one of them gets up for a beer run because your whole side is now freezing cold. But you’ll tell the story of being there in the blizzard to friends for years to come.
- You learn how to pronounce quite a few unusual places.
Flickr/Amy Bayer And you judge anyone who gets them wrong. Oconomowoc. Ashwaubenon. Mequon. Prairie du Chien. The Chequamegon - Nicolet National Forest. It’s a long list, but it’s a good test to tell who’s lived here awhile and who has not.
- You’ll go outside no matter the weather.
Flickr/Elvis Kennedy Polar bear swims on New Year’s Eve seem to be particularly popular here and that feels indicitive of our somewhat imbalanced brains. It’s cold and snowy and miserable for a long time here and if you don’t get out during the long winter, you’ll start to go stir crazy. Never did I think I’d go hiking in the snow or watch an outdoor hockey game, but years spent growing up in Wisconsin seem to have made me immune to the idea that winter means we should stay inside.
- Every time you hear a baseball game was cancelled for weather, you smile a bit and wonder why they didn’t build with a roof.
Flickr/Charles Fulton Purists have a lot of thoughts about domed baseball stadiums, but seeing as it snowed on Opening Day 2016 and we’ve had to host games for other teams that got snowed out, I’m pretty sure we’re the smart ones.
- You orient yourself using the lake (or river).
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM Whether it’s Lake Michigan, Lake Superior or the Mississippi River, nearly everyone in Wisconsin can figure out directions based on where they know one of these big features is. We’ll also give you directions that relate to them and probably tell you how long a trip will take, not how many miles.
- You could survive a blizzard with the things you keep in your trunk.
Flickr/HighwaysAgency It’s July, but you’ve still got an ice scraper, jumper cables, winter gloves, a hat and a blanket stashed in the corner of your trunk because you never know! Those midwesterners can live through anything!
- You’re a farm-fresh food snob.
Flickr/Elvis Kennedy With a state made up primarily of farm land, we’ve got access to the freshest foods at pretty much all times. Our farmers markets are stellar, our restaurants are totally under rated and we get to eat really, really well.
- You will find any excuse to spend time outside in the warmer months.
Flickr/Tom Gill Between being grateful for our scant few weeks of pleasant weather and our extensive and amazing park system, it’s not hard to find a reason to get out and explore. But we’ve also all gone to a cousin’s little league game or birthday party at the zoo just as an excuse to be outside and soak in the sun.
- You unabashedly love where you’re from.
Flickr/Michael Curi You’re fiercely loyal, you’ll defend Wisconsin against the haters and you’ll proudly proclaim where you’re from. You’re a born and raised Wisconsinite and you’re darn proud of it!
Looking for a bit more “crazy Wisconsinite” nostalgia? Check out 14 Things Wisconsinites Do That Seem Insane To Everyone Else.
Flickr/ClarkMaxwell
This one is especially for anyone who’d lived away from Wisconsin for a bit. I think that distance really helps you understand how truly spoiled we are. We can buy cheese at highway-side gas stations that kicks most other state’s cheese selections out of the water. There’s just really nowhere else who’s residents think “you know, a Hook’s aged cheddar would really make this dish.”
Flickr/Lisa Moffatt
There’s nothing better than being on vacation in a different climate and being able to spot the midwesterners. We’re the ones who’ll remind you it has to be at least 32 degrees to snow, so a blizzard is usually actually a warm up. Growing up in Wisconsin will do that to you!
Flickr/Melissa Baldwin
We’re not quite so bad as Fargo, and we don’t “Doncha know” quite as badly as Minnesotans, but whether you’re drawing out the “O” in soda or the “A” in bag, it’s usually pretty obvious where that accent comes from. Of course, you’ll tell anyone you ever encounter that not only do you not have an accent, but the midwest dialect is what they teach people in acting school as “American.” It’s just one of the weird things about Wisconsin.
PublicDomainPictures.net
I suppose techinically we have all four of them, but often Spring forgets itself and it snows into May or Fall gets confused and it’s 75 in October. Plus, none of this accounts for Construction Season, so basically I think the four seasons thing they teach you in school is a big myth.
Flickr/Santiago Bilinkis
Not only that, but you’ll thank them profusely and think it was the best time ever! If you live near Green Bay, you’ll volunteer to shovel snow off the bleachers and then you’ll show up and snuggle in with your bench mates. Then you’ll lament when one of them gets up for a beer run because your whole side is now freezing cold. But you’ll tell the story of being there in the blizzard to friends for years to come.
Flickr/Amy Bayer
And you judge anyone who gets them wrong. Oconomowoc. Ashwaubenon. Mequon. Prairie du Chien. The Chequamegon - Nicolet National Forest. It’s a long list, but it’s a good test to tell who’s lived here awhile and who has not.
Flickr/Elvis Kennedy
Polar bear swims on New Year’s Eve seem to be particularly popular here and that feels indicitive of our somewhat imbalanced brains. It’s cold and snowy and miserable for a long time here and if you don’t get out during the long winter, you’ll start to go stir crazy. Never did I think I’d go hiking in the snow or watch an outdoor hockey game, but years spent growing up in Wisconsin seem to have made me immune to the idea that winter means we should stay inside.
Flickr/Charles Fulton
Purists have a lot of thoughts about domed baseball stadiums, but seeing as it snowed on Opening Day 2016 and we’ve had to host games for other teams that got snowed out, I’m pretty sure we’re the smart ones.
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson DVM
Whether it’s Lake Michigan, Lake Superior or the Mississippi River, nearly everyone in Wisconsin can figure out directions based on where they know one of these big features is. We’ll also give you directions that relate to them and probably tell you how long a trip will take, not how many miles.
Flickr/HighwaysAgency
It’s July, but you’ve still got an ice scraper, jumper cables, winter gloves, a hat and a blanket stashed in the corner of your trunk because you never know! Those midwesterners can live through anything!
With a state made up primarily of farm land, we’ve got access to the freshest foods at pretty much all times. Our farmers markets are stellar, our restaurants are totally under rated and we get to eat really, really well.
Flickr/Tom Gill
Between being grateful for our scant few weeks of pleasant weather and our extensive and amazing park system, it’s not hard to find a reason to get out and explore. But we’ve also all gone to a cousin’s little league game or birthday party at the zoo just as an excuse to be outside and soak in the sun.
Flickr/Michael Curi
You’re fiercely loyal, you’ll defend Wisconsin against the haters and you’ll proudly proclaim where you’re from. You’re a born and raised Wisconsinite and you’re darn proud of it!
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Address: Wisconsin, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
growing up in Wisconsin September 14, 2020 Meghan Kraft What stereotypes are there about Wisconsin? Every state has a few stereotypes that come with it, and Wisconsin is no different. Wisconsinites are wildly proud of their home state, and are fierce sports fans. They’re bound to drink you under the table - consider yourself warned - and there’s nothing like a Friday night fish fry in America’s Dairyland. You’ll find a slew of meat eaters and hunters in Wisconsin, so get ready to see quite a bit of campo and orange pops of color. Most folks in the state have known each other since childhood, so the relationships honed within this midwestern state are strong and true to the core. What unique words and phrases do people in Wisconsin say? There sure be a whole lexicon for the unique words and phrases honed by the folks of Wisconsin! Whether they’re inquiring about the “bubbler” or referencing the group with a cheeky, “yous guys,” there’s really a whole different slew of language in the midwest. From “stop ’n go lights” to “booyah” and “Do ya wanna come with?”, there’s something so homey about the way a Wisconsinite speaks. What is Wisconsin known for? When most folks think about Wisconsin, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely: cheese. Known as, “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin is known for its cheese and dairy products, including frozen custards. Other notable dining quirks include German-inspired eats like bratwurst, beer, butter burgers, and booyah stew. You will also find that folks from Wisconsin are lauded for their rounded accents and focus on warm hospitality.
The OIYS Visitor Center
growing up in Wisconsin
September 14, 2020
Meghan Kraft
What stereotypes are there about Wisconsin? Every state has a few stereotypes that come with it, and Wisconsin is no different. Wisconsinites are wildly proud of their home state, and are fierce sports fans. They’re bound to drink you under the table - consider yourself warned - and there’s nothing like a Friday night fish fry in America’s Dairyland. You’ll find a slew of meat eaters and hunters in Wisconsin, so get ready to see quite a bit of campo and orange pops of color. Most folks in the state have known each other since childhood, so the relationships honed within this midwestern state are strong and true to the core. What unique words and phrases do people in Wisconsin say? There sure be a whole lexicon for the unique words and phrases honed by the folks of Wisconsin! Whether they’re inquiring about the “bubbler” or referencing the group with a cheeky, “yous guys,” there’s really a whole different slew of language in the midwest. From “stop ’n go lights” to “booyah” and “Do ya wanna come with?”, there’s something so homey about the way a Wisconsinite speaks. What is Wisconsin known for? When most folks think about Wisconsin, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely: cheese. Known as, “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin is known for its cheese and dairy products, including frozen custards. Other notable dining quirks include German-inspired eats like bratwurst, beer, butter burgers, and booyah stew. You will also find that folks from Wisconsin are lauded for their rounded accents and focus on warm hospitality.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Every state has a few stereotypes that come with it, and Wisconsin is no different. Wisconsinites are wildly proud of their home state, and are fierce sports fans. They’re bound to drink you under the table - consider yourself warned - and there’s nothing like a Friday night fish fry in America’s Dairyland. You’ll find a slew of meat eaters and hunters in Wisconsin, so get ready to see quite a bit of campo and orange pops of color. Most folks in the state have known each other since childhood, so the relationships honed within this midwestern state are strong and true to the core.
What unique words and phrases do people in Wisconsin say?
There sure be a whole lexicon for the unique words and phrases honed by the folks of Wisconsin! Whether they’re inquiring about the “bubbler” or referencing the group with a cheeky, “yous guys,” there’s really a whole different slew of language in the midwest. From “stop ’n go lights” to “booyah” and “Do ya wanna come with?”, there’s something so homey about the way a Wisconsinite speaks.
What is Wisconsin known for?
When most folks think about Wisconsin, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely: cheese. Known as, “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin is known for its cheese and dairy products, including frozen custards. Other notable dining quirks include German-inspired eats like bratwurst, beer, butter burgers, and booyah stew. You will also find that folks from Wisconsin are lauded for their rounded accents and focus on warm hospitality.
