15 Things Everyone Who's Moved Away From Minnesota Has Thought At Least Once
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Betsy Rathburn
Author
Whether we travel near or far, most people who have spent a lot of time in Minnesota have a soft spot for the Gopher State. There’s something about the abundant lakes, thick forests, and overall gorgeous landscapes that makes it hard to write off the Land of 10,000 Lakes completely – even if you’ve moved away. Even if you love your new home, it’s hard not to get nostalgic about Minnesota. Here are 15 things people who have moved away from Minnesota have thought at least once.
Since each state defines a lake a little differently, what would be a pond in Minnesota might be considered a lake in Georgia. If you've moved away from Georgia, you might find yourself forced to accept puny bodies of water as lakes. But that doesn't mean you don't miss the 10,000 real lakes waiting for you in Minnesota.
Of course, the greatest lake of all is Lake Superior. While Minnesota can't claim all of its shoreline, we can claim a good chunk. The North Shore is Minnesota's treasure. Even if you're in Michigan or Wisconsin with easy access to Superior, you can't beat a trip to the North Shore.
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Those who haven't spent time in Minnesota might take you literally when you say, "That's interesting," or "That's different." But in truth, those phrases mean just the opposite. But it's not Minnesotans being rude - just polite. If you've moved away, you've probably encountered people who didn't understand the nuance of Minnesota Nice.
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A lot of Minnesotans claim that only those who live up north have strong accents. But elsewhere in the country, people notice the Minnesota accent - even if you're from southern Minnesota. And chances are, if you've visited Minnesota after moving away, you've noticed the accent too.
Especially if you've moved to a warmer climate, people who've moved away find themselves missing the four seasons. Scraping your car off isn't fun, but seeing the world under a fresh blanket of snow totally is.
When Minnesota goes outside, it stays there. We don't get a lot of warmth in these parts, so we make the most of it. In many other states, they take their warm weather for granted. But there is nothing like a Minnesota summer after months of winter.
So many people have cabins in Minnesota, it's almost a requirement for living here. And if you don't have one, you certainly know one or two people who do. Many other states don't have entire weekends dedicated to going north. As a Minnesotan, that can be a tough pill to swallow.
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In fact, many other states don't pay Wisconsin much attention at all. Minnesota's light-hearted love/hate relationship with the Badger State is left behind when you leave.
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Of course, Prince had millions of fans around the world. But Minnesota fans are loyal Prince fans to a fault. When news broke of his passing, the entire state went purple for a week. And we will not soon forget. When you stay loyal to Minnesota, Minnesota stays loyal to you.
A Minnesotan spending the summer in a far-off location will miss out on one of the highlights of every summer. By daily attendance, the Minnesota State Fair is the largest in the United States. With new foods and attractions added every year, it just doesn't feel like summer without attending the Great Minnesota Get-Together.
Molten cheese in the middle of a hamburger. Exactly why hasn't this concept caught on everywhere? The best ones are found in Minnesota, of course.
The goodbye starts inside - the living room or kitchen - then moves towards the front door. After more conversation, it eventually finds its way to the porch, then the driveway, and finally the car. It doesn't end until you're out of sight. The Minnesota Goodbye is known for being long, but it's kind of nice to know that your presence is wanted, right?
Lakes, waterfalls, forests, bluffs. Minnesota may not have any ocean access or tall mountains, but it has everything else you ever need. And even better: it has the best of all of those things.
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Sure, sometimes Minnesotans are a little bit passive-aggressive. But at the end of the day, being genuinely nice is a huge part of being Minnesotan. Helping a stranger jumpstart their car is practically a rite of passage. There aren't too many other places where people go out of their way to help.
Everyone has their reasons for leaving, but it's hard to deny that Minnesota is pretty great. Everything from the landscape to the unique culture makes it hard not to come back.
What would you add? Have you ever moved away from Minnesota? What do or did you miss?
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