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I really, really, REALLY hate the cold. That is why I moved as far south as I could afford (and the fact that I only made it to Missouri is a testament to my typical college finances). However, I will always call Minnesota my home, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. While there are more than 11, here are the top reasons why everyone should love Minnesota.
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1. Our accents are freaking awesome. Yeah, yeah, I know, I don't have much of an accent, but I promise more folks do. Usually, you can find us saying flaig or baig instead of flag and bag, or bout instead of boat. You may also catch a good "Uffda!" out of us if you get us all riled up.
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2. We gots lakes. 12,000 of them to be exact! We aren't called "The Land of 10,000 Lakes" for nothin'! Obviously the number is a little outdated, but you get the idea. When you say you are going to the lake, you will inevitably get the question, "which one?" And whether it is summer or winter, you can find us enjoying them to the fullest.
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3. EVERYONE plays hockey, and I mean everyone. You play hockey, you watch hockey, you talk hockey; it's all about hockey. That only seems natural considering we have sheets of ice covering our state 6-8 months out of the year.
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4. We can handle the snow. Unlike our friends two states to the south, we expect and prepare for the imminent weather (cough cough MISSOURI GETS SNOW EVERY YEAR cough cough). Hundreds of plows are deployed before the snow even begins to make sure that all of the roads are fully cleared as quickly as possible. Also, residents don't fall into a state of emergency at the fall of a snowflake (I mean really people? C'mon.)
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5. We have some pretty dang loyal sports fans considering Minnesota sports are always terrible. We talk a lot of smack for having teams that are notoriously terrible, but we have some of the most loyal fans. And let's get real, with colors like Purple and Gold, you really do have to be a through-and-through fan to rock that gear.
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6. We are pretty dang nice. We are so nice that folks often call interactions with us "Minnesota Nice." We help everyone out and will go out of our way to make someone comfortable. Like, "walk half a mile to buy Hot Cocoa at Caribou for four freezing Salvation Army bell ringers that you don't know" kinda nice (true story).
7. You know the notorious flow? Yeah, that's a Minnesota classic. In Minnesota, we have some of the best hair in the nation (not that I am biased or anything). We have the famous "Hockey Hair", which is essentially shaggy, beautiful hair that all of the hockey and lacrosse players rock. It's beautiful. Watch the video below for some prime examples of this magnificence (you will also et a good dose of hockey culture and the Minnesotan Accent). Sidenote: the number one hair is from my high school, so that's pretty neat-o as well.
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8. We are the LGBTQ capital of the US. Sorry, San Fran, but Minneapolis was recently named the most gay city in the United States! We have the largest LGBTQ population, we have one of the largest PRIDE parades, and in the past year, we have legalized gay marriage! Way to be amazing allies, MN!
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9. We were hip before hipsters knew that non-prescription glasses existed. That's right, folks. Uptown Minneapolis is where hipsters have been hiding out for ages. Whenever the "hipster" label became a thing, Minneapolis natives laughed quietly to themselves as they sipped their organic coffee at one of our many hole-in-the-wall coffee shops, listening to underground hip-hop and planning their next excursion to Good Will.
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10. Minneapolis is a great place to be a healthy, happy human. All around, Minnesota is a great place to stay fit and feel great! Minneapolis (and the surrounding area) has been in the Top Ten Fittest Cities for awhile now, was rated most biker-friendly, has an insane amount of biking/walking trails, and has been rated one of the happiest cities in the US. I mean seriously, y'all, you can't beat this!
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11. It is the most beautiful place in the world. Again, I might be a little biased here, but Minnesota truly is the greatest place in the world. Every time I pull over the hill on 35 to see the Minneapolis skyline, a smile spreads across my face and I can't control my excitement. I always have to go take a drive around the Lake of the Isles and cruise through Downtown, just to get a quick taste. I could run for hours on the trails that wind through forests and along lakes and rivers and never get bored. In the fall, the colors change like no other place that I have ever seen before. Over, Minnesota will always be my home, and I am so excited that I have had a place to brag about it.
Want more proof? Check out Buzzfeed's lists (which have GIFs and are way cooler than mine:
38 Things Minnesotans Are Too Nice To Brag About
The 29 Most Minnesotan Things That Ever Happened
Want more proof? Check out Buzzfeed's lists (which have GIFs and are way cooler than mine:
38 Things Minnesotans Are Too Nice To Brag About
The 29 Most Minnesotan Things That Ever Happened