I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Wisconsinites are a rare breed. We thrive in extreme conditions and we make the best out of life. We’re a little odd and a lot awesome and growing up here makes people a special kind of odd. No matter how far you move or travel, there’s some traits that just seem to permeated your skin if you spent any amount of time living here in the Dairy State. They’re like our tells and what helps other Wisconsinites identify us when we’re far from home. Here are 13 things we Wisconsinites do that prove that no matter where you go, you’re always from Wisconsin:
- Grilling no matter the weather.
Flickr/LenHardy The tailgating culture runs strong here and we won’t settle for stovetop cooked cased meats.
- Heading up north every weekend of the summer (and quite a few in winter, as well).
Flickr/Ryan We hit the road on Friday afternoon and escape to our lakes and cabins as soon as we can.
- Being cheese snobs.
Flickr/Ethreon There’s a certain sneering look that crosses Wisconsinites’ features at the sight of Vermont white cheddar. We love our Wisconsin cheese and we’re sad when we can’t have it.
- Keeping a closet full of tools in our trunk.
Flickr/MadameMaracas There’s only so many times you get the front of yourself soaking wet as you try to reach across your windshield with a small ice scraper before you start looking for alternate car-cleaning options. A broom, a garden spade, a shovel - whatever it takes to get your vehicle unstuck from the latest winter storm.
- Preferring Wisconsin beers.
Flickr/SallyJacobs When you have as many breweries as we do, it’s not hard to wonder why you would drink anything else. Even if it’s just a Miller, folks here tend to be pretty Wisconsin proud about what they choose to imbibe.
- Describing distance in time, not miles.
Flickr/DougKerr That sign there tells me it’ll take about 30 minutes and about an hour to get to those places. Who knows how or why it started, but we never give directions in miles - we tell someone how long it’ll take them to get to us.
- Unabashedly looking down on Minnesota and Illinois.
Flickr/SteveSchar Minnesota can keep their 10,000 lakes and we don’t have a lot of use for Chicago. We have everything we could ever want right here and we know folks from those states agree - we see their license plates here all the time. There’s just something extra sweet about beating Minnesota or the Bears, as well.
- Preferring brats to all other cased meats.
Flickr/DavidWright Sure, we love a Polish or Italian on occasion, but brats are the sausage king. There’s a reason Miller Park is the only stadium where hot dogs aren’t the leading seller. Brats are just better.
- Being incapable of sitting still during a polka.
Flickr/Brianne Whether it’s the Chicken Dance at a wedding or Roll Out the Barrel at a sporting event, we love a polka. We learn to do it at a young age and we really don’t ever stop.
- Cheering for the Packers.
Flickr/MikeMorbeck More than any other local team, being a Packer fan seems to be born and bred into us. We put our newborns on the season ticket waiting list and we willing sit in below zero temperatures to watch them play. Even in the down years, we are loyal to the Pack.
- Taking a sweater with us whenever we leave the house.
Flickr/RobynChachula Even in summer, I don’t head out at night without “sleeves.” In the winter, my backseat looks like I’m ready to move in for all the extra clothes I keep in there. It takes just one time having you car break down in winter where you don’t have extra gloves, hats and sweaters in the car before you’ll never forget again. It’s cooler by the lake and that means we always grab an extra layer.
- Wanting a fish fry on Friday.
Flickr/TomKelly The fish fry is sacred. Family gatherings happen around them, fights erupt over who has the best and Friday evenings are reserved for heading out to get the very best. Other parts of the country might have a seasonal Friday fish or seafood tradition, but we’ve embraced the Friday fish fry year round.
- Spotting other Wisconsinites in the wild.
Flickr/RichardHurd It’s said that no one travels better than Wisconsinites. No matter where I’ve been in the world, I’ve become adept at spotting a Motion W or Packer G at 200 paces. We love seeing each other and finding a friendly face no matter where our travels take us. From Alaska to Australia and a lot of spots in between, I’ve never taken a vacation where I haven’t run into multiple Wisconsinites. For a small Midwestern state, we sure do get around.
What other odd habits do you think we have that mark us as uniquely Wisconsin? Let us know in the comments!
Flickr/LenHardy
The tailgating culture runs strong here and we won’t settle for stovetop cooked cased meats.
Flickr/Ryan
We hit the road on Friday afternoon and escape to our lakes and cabins as soon as we can.
Flickr/Ethreon
There’s a certain sneering look that crosses Wisconsinites’ features at the sight of Vermont white cheddar. We love our Wisconsin cheese and we’re sad when we can’t have it.
Flickr/MadameMaracas
There’s only so many times you get the front of yourself soaking wet as you try to reach across your windshield with a small ice scraper before you start looking for alternate car-cleaning options. A broom, a garden spade, a shovel - whatever it takes to get your vehicle unstuck from the latest winter storm.
Flickr/SallyJacobs
When you have as many breweries as we do, it’s not hard to wonder why you would drink anything else. Even if it’s just a Miller, folks here tend to be pretty Wisconsin proud about what they choose to imbibe.
Flickr/DougKerr
That sign there tells me it’ll take about 30 minutes and about an hour to get to those places. Who knows how or why it started, but we never give directions in miles - we tell someone how long it’ll take them to get to us.
Flickr/SteveSchar
Minnesota can keep their 10,000 lakes and we don’t have a lot of use for Chicago. We have everything we could ever want right here and we know folks from those states agree - we see their license plates here all the time. There’s just something extra sweet about beating Minnesota or the Bears, as well.
Flickr/DavidWright
Sure, we love a Polish or Italian on occasion, but brats are the sausage king. There’s a reason Miller Park is the only stadium where hot dogs aren’t the leading seller. Brats are just better.
Flickr/Brianne
Whether it’s the Chicken Dance at a wedding or Roll Out the Barrel at a sporting event, we love a polka. We learn to do it at a young age and we really don’t ever stop.
Flickr/MikeMorbeck
More than any other local team, being a Packer fan seems to be born and bred into us. We put our newborns on the season ticket waiting list and we willing sit in below zero temperatures to watch them play. Even in the down years, we are loyal to the Pack.
Flickr/RobynChachula
Even in summer, I don’t head out at night without “sleeves.” In the winter, my backseat looks like I’m ready to move in for all the extra clothes I keep in there. It takes just one time having you car break down in winter where you don’t have extra gloves, hats and sweaters in the car before you’ll never forget again. It’s cooler by the lake and that means we always grab an extra layer.
Flickr/TomKelly
The fish fry is sacred. Family gatherings happen around them, fights erupt over who has the best and Friday evenings are reserved for heading out to get the very best. Other parts of the country might have a seasonal Friday fish or seafood tradition, but we’ve embraced the Friday fish fry year round.
Flickr/RichardHurd
It’s said that no one travels better than Wisconsinites. No matter where I’ve been in the world, I’ve become adept at spotting a Motion W or Packer G at 200 paces. We love seeing each other and finding a friendly face no matter where our travels take us. From Alaska to Australia and a lot of spots in between, I’ve never taken a vacation where I haven’t run into multiple Wisconsinites. For a small Midwestern state, we sure do get around.
Looking for some Wisconsin-based laughs? Check out 17 Downright Funny Memes You’ll Only Get If You’re From Wisconsin.
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