When we recognize our attachment to a culture, we are endowed with a sense of identity and belonging. It influences our core beliefs and allows us to candidly express ourselves without judgement from others who share our mindset and values. Even the standards we set for ourselves, trends we follow, and our behavior are derived from our culture. In this way, the misunderstood Minnesotan culture has impacted my perception, personality, and habits.
For anyone unaccustomed to the weather of Minnesota, my perception of snow and cold weather must seem quite bizarre. While non-natives bury themselves beneath layers of blankets when the temperature drops below freezing, I pull on my jean shorts and flip flops in an attempt to wring every last drop …show more content…
Got them all? Now, disregard them completely because no Minnesotan that I’ve ever met speaks in never-ending vowels. Listening to any more than thirty seconds of Fargo makes me want to go stick my head in a snowbank like I’m some sort of arctic emu. Yes, a fizzy beverage is a called pop and the game is Duck Duck Gray Duck, but you’ll never catch me slinging around “you betcha” and “don’tcha know” as if I’m a Canadian. However, when it comes to hotdishes and potlucks, the rumors are completely substantiated. Sports meeting? Hotdish. Potluck? Hotdishes. Family celebration? You betcha! But one of the most infamous (and unfortunately true) habits is the Minnesota Goodbye. Only after fifteen minutes of lingering in the doorway making meaningless chatter is it appropriate to leave without appearing to be in in a rush. Shameful as it is, I myself am guilty of the same well-meaning hesitancy, which proves the depth to which the Minnesotan culture has transformed me.
Although the quirks I’ve unconsciously adopted may seem unusual to the rest of the country, to me they symbolize my connection to my family and childhood. I know that wherever the future leads me, I bring with me the charms of Minnesnowta and a drive to prove that Minnesotans are much more than simply
For anyone unaccustomed to the weather of Minnesota, my perception of snow and cold weather must seem quite bizarre. While non-natives bury themselves beneath layers of blankets when the temperature drops below freezing, I pull on my jean shorts and flip flops in an attempt to wring every last drop …show more content…
Got them all? Now, disregard them completely because no Minnesotan that I’ve ever met speaks in never-ending vowels. Listening to any more than thirty seconds of Fargo makes me want to go stick my head in a snowbank like I’m some sort of arctic emu. Yes, a fizzy beverage is a called pop and the game is Duck Duck Gray Duck, but you’ll never catch me slinging around “you betcha” and “don’tcha know” as if I’m a Canadian. However, when it comes to hotdishes and potlucks, the rumors are completely substantiated. Sports meeting? Hotdish. Potluck? Hotdishes. Family celebration? You betcha! But one of the most infamous (and unfortunately true) habits is the Minnesota Goodbye. Only after fifteen minutes of lingering in the doorway making meaningless chatter is it appropriate to leave without appearing to be in in a rush. Shameful as it is, I myself am guilty of the same well-meaning hesitancy, which proves the depth to which the Minnesotan culture has transformed me.
Although the quirks I’ve unconsciously adopted may seem unusual to the rest of the country, to me they symbolize my connection to my family and childhood. I know that wherever the future leads me, I bring with me the charms of Minnesnowta and a drive to prove that Minnesotans are much more than simply