How To Tell Someone Is From Michigan Without Saying So

Whenever I've traveled abroad, I always enjoy running into another American in the wild, and we can debrief on how we're enjoying our trip. It's small, but when you're in a spot you're not used to, it's nice to feel a sense of community. Even when I lived in Florida for a while, one of the friends I made was purely because we were both from Michigan.

However, these are situations where I've accidentally learned someone is from Michigan in a chance conversation. Nevertheless, there are plenty of ways to identify a Michigander without revealing that you're from Michigan.

Yoopers are in a world of their own, but the everyday troll also shares commonalities that scream Michigan. Here are a few of the things Michiganders do that are definitively us, brought to you by a thread on the "I grew up in Michigan" Facebook page.

"Euchre is my favorite card game."

Euchre is a card game that is only played in the Midwest. Michigan has even been deemed the "buckle of the euchre belt", and it is something that is considered a rite of passage in growing up. Just a few weeks ago, I was staying at a B&B in Traverse City, and when I revealed I didn't know how to play, everyone looked like I'd slapped them in the face.

If they play Euchre, let alone know what Euchre is, they're probably from Michigan or Michigan-adjacent.

"Can you grab some Better Made potato chips?"

There are plenty of name-brand chip brands out there, like Lays or Ruffles, but if you've ever bought a sub and were handed a bag of Better Made chips, or someone asked if they have these in stock, you're in the Mitten state.

These delicious chips are made in Detroit and distributed throughout the state, to the point that they have been deemed the state's most popular potato chip. 

"Oh, you're sick? I know just the thing."

This is not up for debate: Vernor's is a miracle cure for sickness. My family was a Sprite family, but I have quickly learned that pretty much everyone else in the entire state buys Vernors ginger ale to drink when one is under the weather.

I cannot confirm whether a healthy human buys this, but I know a sickly one absolutely does.

"What sort of pop do you serve?"

Yes, yes, this is an obvious one, but the age-old debate between calling it "pop" vs "soda" is nothing new. However, calling a sodapop "pop" is quickly fading out, with the phrase only being said among select northern and midwestern states.

Use of “Pop” vs “Coke vs “Soda” to Refer to Sweet Carbonated Beverage in US Over the Years
byu/ColorfulImaginati0n inMapPorn

While this isn't an exclusive characteristic of Michigan, we are among a select few states that still use this vernacular.

Speaking of speaking...

Another debate that perpetuates only chatter is whether or not Michiganders have an accent. Like most places, people often don't realize they have an accent until they either travel somewhere or someone from a different state points it out.

READ MORE: What’s in a Michigan Starter Pack? Here’s What You’ll Need

To this, I would say yes, Michigan has an accent, and I've written about it in detail before (you can read about it here). One such thing is the many different emotions you can communicate by simply stating "Oh, Eh, or Ah." They all have different meanings and can be used in various ways, and only Michiganders can decrypt the secret language of "Yes, no", and "No, yeah.