Apparently the Midwest is a Different Experience

Author’s Note: Apparently, I didn’t post this it’s just a bunch of Tweets I saw on Buzzfeed and thought were absolutely hilarious. As stated in the header, I hope they don’t sue me. I don’t own the tweets or the Buzzfeed article, guys. Obviously. I am just the commentary, the peanut gallery. (^^)b

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I started seeing hilarious social media posts about life in the midwestern United States some time ago. For the most part, they point out things about our everyday life that we (and others) can chuckle about. I’m fully aware that the Midwest—like any other specific area—has things are unique to it and its people, but until I got online (hi, Twitter friends) I had no idea just how many of my experiences and the way I live are impacted my Midwestern culture as opposed to being “American.”

America is large, so it makes sense that different areas developed—to an extent—different cultures and ways of speaking. Growing up, I just thought of us here as the “norm” for Americans: we have the standard American accent, for example. The longer I’m alive, the more I realize how untrue that is. Odd as it sounds, now that I know more about American life outside my geographic bubble, I appreciate life in the Midwest even more. (You know. For the most part. The Trump voters can GTFO.)

I had no idea until Innominate Podcast that not everyone calls all people regardless of gender “you guys.” I didn’t think it strange (though I did think it hilarious) when I very matter of fact my overheard it said in the funnel cake like at Homecoming, “Don’t get too drunk; we gotta bale hay tomorrow.” (And now I realize how Midwestern that whole sentence is, wow.)

ANYWAY, it really hit me today because, to take my mind off of the horrible COVID news, I read one of those Buzzfeed listicles about Tweets describing life in the Midwest, and it brought up things I never even considered as unique to my area. I laughed so hard and thought that I might as well share some of them here in case they give you a laugh, too.

Oh, my goodness! We DO! I never realize. I guess other people don’t?

My in-laws used this very landmark to describe the location of their new house 😂

If the house belongs to a boomer and for some reason doesn’t have a beach bathroom now, I can almost guarantee it indeed did at one point. I had no idea this was unique to the Midwestern boomers, but it makes sense.

“I’m just sayin,” is a vocabulary staple.

That goes without saying. Ranch is heaven sent.

Do you really? Is this a thing?

I didn’t have a clue other places don’t do this. How do other Americans describe distance? Do you always describe it using time?

Accurate. How far you drive on vacation is almost a point of pride.