- The Hand Anyone not from Michigan knows that the state looks like a mitten, but when you try to show directions on your hand, you may look a little bit crazy!
- Michigan Left This has to be the scariest part of driving in Michigan to anyone from out of state. A Michigan Left is considered a U-turn, just about everywhere else in the US. If you’re not used to these traffic patterns, then watch out!
- Party Store You can buy beer at a party store? Yes, duh. Out-of-state residents may be a little bit confused about the name at first, but once they realize it’s not the same as a Party City, they’ll be hooked. It’s called a party store because it has all the essentials for a great party: booze and snacks.
- Pop not soda And most definitely not “coke” for all pops, that’s just inaccurate.
- Vernors/ Faygo Speaking of pop, there are a few brands that are from Detroit that can be hard to find anywhere else in the US. Vernors is basically the best ginger ale on the market, and a Michigander might insist it can cure any upset stomach. And have you ever had a Faygo Rock & Rye??
- American fries Sometimes, Michiganders call the chunks of potatoes that are fried in a pan usually served for breakfast “American fries.” People from out of state may call them “home fries” or “house fries” instead.
- How to pronounce “Mackinac” This is such an easy thing to pronounce to anyone from Michigan, but you would be surprised at the amount of out of state-ers that pronounce it “Mack-in-ak.” It’s “Mack-in-aw” and you should definitely visit some time and eat fudge.
- Detroit style pizza Detroit Style pizza is so much different than Chicago Deep dish, so get your facts right. Nothing beats a corner slice.
- What’s so Great about the Great Lakes? A lake Michigan beach beats the ocean any day. The water is fresh, not salty, and you don’t have to worry about sharks! Plus it won’t take 20+ hours to get there.
- Add an “s” to the end of store names You can’t just go to Meijer or Kroger, it’s “Meijers” and “Krogers” here in Michigan. Michiganders have the tendency to add an “s” to most store names. I wonder why...
10 Things people from Michigan have to explain to anyone out of state
“Take a Michigan left to go to the party store, I need to buy some pop.”
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