When I was younger, it was pretty common to make fun of all the midwesterners who would move to New York City. The running joke was that every «transplant» was from Ohio and that they were, well, lame as hell. As I became a mature adult, I realized that there’s nothing wrong with chasing one’s dreams, even if they are cliche. And as I befriended more people who were new to the city, it became clear: a lot of people from the Midwest rule. And a lot of them moved here because they were too cool for their hometowns. That said, we have also realized that there are plenty of nice things to say about the Midwest – but mostly they’re about the people who grow up there. Our friends from Minnesota, Ohio, and even Indiana manage to brighten our days with their positivity, politeness, kindness, and down-home hospitality. What we don’t like is their apparent imperviousness to the elements. It makes us look weak. 

While it’s true that stereotypes generally carry a negative connotation, we absolutely love memes and tweets that play with generalizations – and there are plenty to be found about the habits of Midwesterners. Sorry in advance if any of this offends anyone who hails from this region. But we are sharing these in the spirit of pride. And the spirit of ‘Ope.’