Growing up in Wisconsin is unlike growing up anywhere else. We’ve got quite a few unique quirks that make being a born-and-raised Wisconsinite an honor. No one else quote knows what it’s like but the folks who went through the same thing. Here are 17 ways to know you definitely grew up a Cheesehead.
- Your Halloween costume was designed to fit over your snowsuit.
Twitter/Caleb_LeDuc Your parents didn’t even pretend to be hopeful about nice weather - they just assumed you’d need to be in five layers to be able to go out trick or treating.
- You raced your siblings to find the pickle ornament on Christmas morning.
Flickr/Richaed Stieh The German tradition of hiding the pickle ornament and the finder getting an extra present on Christmas morning happened in a lot of Wisconsin households.
- Your favorite family vacations were to the Wisconsin Dells.
Flickr/David Reid Wherever else your parents wanted to go was probably supposed to be educational and included a long road trip. You’d much rather spend a few days in the Dells.
- You asked your teacher to go use the Bubbler.
Flickr/d76 We know the rest of the world calls it a drinking fountain, we just don’t actually care.
- Your first car came complete with a winter survival kit in the trunk.
Flickr/State Farm The first time you tried to head out to drive in the winter after you turned 16 your parents acted like you’d never seen snow and packed your trunk with every imaginable emergency supply on the planet.
- You learned the words to two songs before you even started school - Jump Around and Bang the Drum.
Flickr/Phil Roeder The Packers’ touchdown song and the Badgers’ third quarter song might be the two most played songs in the state.
- You skipped school to go deer hunting.
Flickr/S.B. Tuska And your parents were totally on board.
- You dreaded recess as a kid because it meant spending more time gearing up than actually being outside.
Flickr/Rachel Gonzales Bonus if your mittens were connected by a string through your snowsuit sleeves.
- You learned to dance the polka before middle school.
Flickr/NikiDinsey Long before any awkward crushes or school dances, a relative dragged you to the dance floor at a wedding and forced you to polka.
- You’ve worn Packers gear to church and expect the game to be on no matter where you go.
Flickr/Seth Carlson There’s one thing in this state that usurps all others - Packers football. If you usually wore a uniform, all bets were off on Sundays. If you were supposed to dress up, you could get by with a jersey. If you went to the store, the game was playing on the loudspeaker and a few TVs.
- Your parents made you shovel a path to the grill in the winter.
Flickr/Joe Loong And they probably made you get the coals started, as well.
- You got presents from St. Nick weeks before Santa came.
Flickr/Andrew Malone I had no idea other folks didn’t celebrate St. Nick’s Day until my mom sent me my stocking at college and everyone wanted to know why it was early.
- You’ve accompanied your parents to a bar.
Flickr/Dan Parker Whether it was just for a night out, for a fish fry, for drinks or at a bowling alley, I was quite comfortable at a bar ordering a Shirley Temple, thank you very much.
- You knew a forecast for snow probably wasn’t going to get you off of school, but below zero temperatures and wind chills just might.
Flickr/Antti T. Nissinen Snow days were few and far between, but extra cold days where the weatherman said not to leave the house with exposed skin were much more likely!
- You learned to drive a tractor long before you got your license.
Flickr/Amy Ross Ditto for a snowmobile or ATV.
- You think cheese is a totally legitimate food group.
Flickr/EdwardHBlake They keep changing it from the pyramid to the plate - whatever the daily allowance is, you know that cheese has to be there.
- You went to your first tailgate before you could walk.
Flickr/Julie Corsi We get to the game two hours early and we still walk in late. We take our sports very seriously here and tailgates are a huge part of it. We wouldn’t let something like having a baby stop us from enjoying it.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments what other signs there are you definitely grew up in Wisconsin.
Twitter/Caleb_LeDuc
Your parents didn’t even pretend to be hopeful about nice weather - they just assumed you’d need to be in five layers to be able to go out trick or treating.
Flickr/Richaed Stieh
The German tradition of hiding the pickle ornament and the finder getting an extra present on Christmas morning happened in a lot of Wisconsin households.
Flickr/David Reid
Wherever else your parents wanted to go was probably supposed to be educational and included a long road trip. You’d much rather spend a few days in the Dells.
Flickr/d76
We know the rest of the world calls it a drinking fountain, we just don’t actually care.
Flickr/State Farm
The first time you tried to head out to drive in the winter after you turned 16 your parents acted like you’d never seen snow and packed your trunk with every imaginable emergency supply on the planet.
Flickr/Phil Roeder
The Packers’ touchdown song and the Badgers’ third quarter song might be the two most played songs in the state.
Flickr/S.B. Tuska
And your parents were totally on board.
Flickr/Rachel Gonzales
Bonus if your mittens were connected by a string through your snowsuit sleeves.
Flickr/NikiDinsey
Long before any awkward crushes or school dances, a relative dragged you to the dance floor at a wedding and forced you to polka.
Flickr/Seth Carlson
There’s one thing in this state that usurps all others - Packers football. If you usually wore a uniform, all bets were off on Sundays. If you were supposed to dress up, you could get by with a jersey. If you went to the store, the game was playing on the loudspeaker and a few TVs.
Flickr/Joe Loong
And they probably made you get the coals started, as well.
Flickr/Andrew Malone
I had no idea other folks didn’t celebrate St. Nick’s Day until my mom sent me my stocking at college and everyone wanted to know why it was early.
Flickr/Dan Parker
Whether it was just for a night out, for a fish fry, for drinks or at a bowling alley, I was quite comfortable at a bar ordering a Shirley Temple, thank you very much.
Flickr/Antti T. Nissinen
Snow days were few and far between, but extra cold days where the weatherman said not to leave the house with exposed skin were much more likely!
Flickr/Amy Ross
Ditto for a snowmobile or ATV.
Flickr/EdwardHBlake
They keep changing it from the pyramid to the plate - whatever the daily allowance is, you know that cheese has to be there.
Flickr/Julie Corsi
We get to the game two hours early and we still walk in late. We take our sports very seriously here and tailgates are a huge part of it. We wouldn’t let something like having a baby stop us from enjoying it.
Looking for more Wisconsinite humor? Check out 17 Things Everyone Who’s Moved Away From Wisconsin Has Thought At Least Once
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