13 Undying Habits That Prove You Can Never Take Minnesota Out Of The Minnesotan

Even if you live in any of the 49 states that prefer "duck, duck, goose," a Minnesotan is not going to give up on calling the game by its real name. This may prove more difficult if you raise children in a different state. But if you're seriously committed, you could always teach them the game yourself.

Or at least wishing you could. Not ever state is blessed with as many lakes as Minnesota, and in these states former Minnesotans will find a way to improvise. A long weekend camping or lounging by a pool? It's not quite the same as a lakeside cabin, but it'll do.

Minnesotans are a practical people. It only makes sense that we'd keep all the tools we need to survive the winter in our vehicles. Even if we move to other states, we'll use the broom trick. Why? Because once you finally give up the always too-short gas station window scraper, you can't back.

Of course, this proves difficult if you move to a state without Caribou. In those situations, the only thing you can do is grin and bear it. But the next time you step foot on Minnesota soil, you'll be heading for a Caribou.

Of course we know about soda or coke, but pop is just what we call it here. It's a difficult habit to break after a lifetime of ordering it at restaurants or picking it up at the grocery store. But we know other states know what we mean, so what's the problem?

Yes, let's call it an undying habit. Our relentless cheering definitely doesn't come from a misguided hope that one day our hometown team will finally turn things around. That goes for nearly every Minnesota sports team, actually.

Not to throw shade at other states, but Minnesotans are #1 at voting. Our voter turnout was the highest in the nation for at least the past three general elections. We believe in the importance of voting, and that's a habit we'll take with us everywhere.

It's really just a friendly rivalry, but we can't help but throw a few jabs at our border states every now and then. Even when we leave Minnesota, it's hard to resist the urge.

Come spring, when the mercury rises to a whopping 40 degrees Fahrenheit, Minnesotans come out in droves. It's one of the most exciting times of year in this state, when we have the winter behind us once again. And no matter how low the temperature continues to drop as we make our way towards summer, we refuse to don our coats for another minute. This often results in some inappropriate dressing for the weather, but at this point, we're used to it.

Did you know zipper merging is both faster and safer? Did you know it makes sitting in rush-hour traffic much more tolerable? If you didn't, you probably got your driver's license in Minnesota. This is one habit it would be great to break, so let's all work on it tomorrow: wait until the lane ends before you merge into traffic, one car at a time.

This is a difficult habit to break when moving out of state because it's so thoroughly ingrained in Minnesota culture. Depending on where you live, you might come across someone who has no problem taking the last piece of pie for himself. For Minnesotans, it's important to remember that it's not actually rude. Pie is for eating, after all.

It starts at the dinner table, continues to the doorway, and still hasn't ended when you start to pull away. Instead, you find yourself waving your arm out the car window until your friend is out of sight. Let it be known that this is not normal behavior in many other places, and you might be considered a bit odd if saying goodbye takes this long if you move out of state.

If you've lived in Minnesota for a few years, you've probably received some help from a stranger - most likely in the form of jumping or helping push your vehicle. You may have even returned the favor at some point. We all know what it's like to be stuck or stranded, so we can't stand seeing others with the same problem. No matter where we go, Minnesotans go out of their way to help people in need.