A Yooper is a person who was born and raised in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Sometimes exceptions are made for those who have lived there for a long time, but usually that term is reserved for the U.P.-born. Yoopers are extremely proud of their home, and will talk about the U.P. to anyone who will listen. You know what they say: you can take a girl out of the U.P., but you can't make a girl eat her pasty with gravy.
Obviously not all of these will apply to every Yooper, but this list may at least help you decipher whether you're speaking to a Yooper or a troll.
A Yooper:
1. Is wearing camo or bright orange.
2. Prefers Jilbert's to Hudsonville ice cream and their favorite flavor is Superman.
3. May have a deer slung over their shoulder.
4. May have killed that deer with their car and not a hunting rifle.
5. Knows a song about the Mackinac Bridge.
6. Owns a truck, probably a Ford.
7. Will go fishing in literally any month.
8. Is proficient or highly skilled at winter sports you've never heard of.
9. Responds to the question "Aren't you cold?" with "No, I'm from Michigan."
10. Won't eat fudge if it's not from the Straits area.
11. Is a lighthouse enthusiast.
12. Knows how to pronounce Mackinac.
13. Knows how to pronounce Grand Marais, Munising, Baraga, Keweenaw, De Tour, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Calumet, Engadine, Naubinway, St. Ignace, Ishpeming, Negaunee, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Manistique.
14. Has been to a powwow.
15. Has a SISU bumper sticker.
16. Will tell you that Tahquamenon Falls are better than Niagara any day.
17. Knows how to pronounce Tahquamenon.
18. Is either a Packers fan or a "Lions fan." (Are those real?)
19. Says "Eh."
20. Is drinking a Vernors or Faygo -- and knows it's "pop," not "soda."
21. Is drinking an Oberon.
22. Is somehow always "sick" on November 15th.
23. Knows what a pasty is and will try to convince you why they're better with ketchup or gravy (it's ketchup).
24. Knows the Canadian national anthem -- or can at least jump in at some spots.
25. Has been to a casino countless times.
26. Knows how to skate really well and probably has an ice rink in their backyard.
27. Says "ope" or "oop" when they run into somebody.
28. Can do a great Canadian accent.
29. Has tried to break apart a Toonie.
30. Has tried to rip a Canadian bill.
31. Doesn't understand how there are places in the country without seasons.
32. Can drive through a blizzard with no qualms.
33. Can drive in over a foot of snow.
34. Has thought to themselves, "I can make it up this hill."
35. Has slid shamefully backwards down a hill.
36. Knows how to layer.
37. Has clothing that could cover literally everything but their eyes.
38. Has felt their nose hairs freeze because of the wind chill ("feels like -30°F?!").
39. Doesn't know what light pollution is and is extremely distressed when they can't see all the stars in the sky.
40. Scoffs at Mrs. Butterworth's.
41. Knows what a tree tap is.
42. Is always bugging you to play Euchre or Cribbage.
43. Knows why a ferry boat is actually a time machine.
44. Pannukakku.
45. Might actually just ditch their car in the winter and get around on their dogsl-- I mean, snowmobile.
46. Doesn't laugh when asked if they live in an igloo.
47. Doesn't laugh when asked if they have electricity or running water.
48. Probably prefers tap water.
49. Grew up on a farm or had plenty of friends who did.
50. Was in 4H.
51. Knows who the "horse girl" was in their class.
52. Would die for their hockey team.
53. Knows a lot about Native American history.
54. Could name a few forts in their area (mine are Brady, Mackinac, and Michilimackinac).
55. Hates wax figures.
56. Could name several Lake Superior shipwrecks and knows every word to "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."
57. Is either intrigued by shipwrecks and would definitely go diving to one or has submechanophobia.
58. Supports Superior as its own state.
59. Has a U.P. tattoo or bumper sticker.
60. NEVER stops talking about the U.P.
Report this ContentThis article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.