Michigan: a lovely four-seasoned state, surrounded almost on all sides by fresh water. Living in the mitten state comes with its own set of unique struggles that people who don't live here just won't get, such as:
1. Showing where you live on your hand.
Someone who doesn't live in Michigan will stare at you blankly when you point to where your hometown is on your other hand.
2. Only Vernors counts as "real" ginger ale.
This is the #1 Michigan cure-all, and we'll swear that other ginger ale brands are fake. To be fair, Vernors does have the strongest ginger taste. Maybe that's why other ginger ales just won't cut it when it comes to getting rid of that stomachache.
3. Being really, really excited about the Mackinac Bridge.
No matter how many times you've been over the bridge, you'll always take pictures. And those pictures will always end up on Facebook or Snapchat or elsewhere, where other Michigan dwellers will see and admire. Maybe it's the potential for that really good fudge.
4. Moreover, listening to non-Michiganders pronounce Mackinac.
Mackinack? No. Mackinaw, with a w. Conveniently, both spellings are considered correct when writing about them, yet the number of times we've heard the c pronounced at the end is too many.
5. Or Sault Ste. Marie.
Soo Saint Marie doesn't look like how it should be pronounced, but it is. You'll also be able to tell if a Michigander lives in the Upper Peninsula by the way they refer to Sault Ste. Marie fondly as "The Sault" (pronounced the Soo).
6. Adding a -s to the end of store names.
This may not be just a Michigan thing, but you'll hear "I'm going up to the Meijer's" more times than you'll be able to count. It doesn't matter if there is no -s, we'll create one.
7. There are two seasons: winter and construction season.
Once the weather gets warm enough, the "Road Closed Ahead" and "Lane change ahead" signs come out like spring flowers and stay until it's too cold to work outside. However, the roads will continue to be laughably bad. Or not so laughably depending on the stance you take. Either way, lots of potholes.
8. Oddly intense college rivalries.
Michigan versus Michigan State football is always a huge rivalry that's been passed on for generations. Even those of us who don't like football have a favorite unless you're among those who willfully refuse to pick. Nevertheless, Ohio State fans best beware or else face the wrath of both sides of that argument.
9. Superman ice cream.
Either you love it or you hate it, but once you get out of Michigan, Superman ice cream is nearly impossible to find. Loved by kids everywhere (and some adults, who still have a sense of fun and like of pure sugar flavor,) Superman is a great multicolored addition to any ice cream parlor.
10. Euchre.
As someone who has lived in Michigan all my life, I for one am still mind-bogglingly confused when it comes to euchre. All the times another person has tried to teach me, they've said, "Don't worry, we'll play a few rounds and you'll get it!" And I never have.
