9 Things People From Detroit Do Best

1. Braving the cold weather.

There’s something absolutely bone-chilling about spending the winter months in Detroit. We know that other parts of the state and country experience plenty of cold weather, but Detroit winters seems to bring an entirely new level of snow, ice, and freezing winds. That will never stop us from stepping out into the elements, though.

2. Remaining loyal to our football team .

Flickr/Pete Sheffield

Few cities have the unique experience of supporting a football team that has never made a single Super Bowl appearance. Here in Detroit, though, we’re well accustomed the pain of watching our Lions lose, and we never let this repeated failure stop us from showing up to cheer. Infuriating as it might be, the Lions are our team and we won’t give up on our boys in blue.

3. Downing coney dogs like nobody’s business.

Flickr/jdolenga

A true Detroiter never stops after just one coney dog. Sure, plenty of non-Detroiters enjoy the delicious flavors of this Motor City classic, but those of us who frequent our favorite coney dog shops simply can’t get enough. Here’s a quick word of warming: never challenge a hungry Detroiter to a coney-eating contest, because you’re sure to be humiliated.

4. Pronouncing unusual street names.

Flickr/wyliepoon

If there’s one thing that amuses us, it’s asking out-of-towners to try their hand at pronouncing some of our city’s most unfamiliar street names. After all, the pronunciation of "Gratiot" certainly doesn’t come naturally to non-native French speakers, but we Detroiters know it through and through and it makes us proud!

5. Singing along to Motown tunes.

Flickr/Ted Eytan

Detroiters are endlessly proud to have given rise to many of Motown’s most influential artists, and this connection to the music industry seems to be in our blood. We just can’t help it: when a tune by Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, or Aretha Franklin comes on the radio, you’ll undoubtedly find us singing and dancing along to our hearts’ content.

6. Admiring American-made cars.

Flickr/Don Harder

They don’t call us the Motor City for nothing! Our long history with General Motors has given us a unique and unbreakable admiration for American-made automobiles, and you’ll certainly see your fair share of Ford vehicles driving around Detroit. Other cities may have played a role in producing many of these cars, but we Detroiters will always feel a special connection to the industry.

7. Taking quick day trips to Canada.

Filckr/Spacing Magazine

Craving an international getaway, but don’t quite have the time to go abroad? Never fear: here in Detroit, you can simply hop on the Ambassador Bridge and venture to Ontario for an hour or two. We’ve developed a great relationship with our neighbors across the border, and this makes us uniquely skilled at planning short-term escapes to another country.

8. Appreciating the arts.

Flickr/Russ

Detroit might not be known as the art capital of the world, but the uniqueness of its artistic presence cannot be overstated. From fascinating public art displays and city-commissioned graffiti along the Dequindre Cut and the incredible ingenuity of the Heidelberg Project, Detroit knows how to embrace creativity.

9. Overcoming difficulties.

Flickr/Ian Freimuth

Very few American cities have been knocked down both financially and emotionally the way Detroit has over the year, but that has never stopped us from standing back up. While Detroiters have plenty of useful skills and talents, the most vital of these is resilience. No matter how many struggles we’ve encountered, we always managed to brush ourselves off and rebuild. Does it get much better than that?

9 Things Detroiters Do Better Than Anyone Else

Sophie Boudreau

Author

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