33 Extremely Specific Things Literally Everyone In The Midwest Does That I'm Pretty Sure No One Else In The United States Has Ever Done

To people outside the Midwest, the area remains an enigma. A casserole-filled, milk-drenched land of mystery.

Map showing states and cities of the Midwestern United States, including major routes and bordering Canada
Rainer Lesniewski / Getty Images

As such, those outside the land of cinnamon bun chili have some questions. And they need answers.

Person in a plaid shirt and jeans stands in a cornfield, looking up at the cloudy sky
Simonskafar / Getty Images

For example...

Twitter: @palegoon1. Why does everything have to be possessive?— shawn Ⓥ (@palegoon) December 20, 2017
midwest culture is making every title of a restaurant possessive. i.e. fuji’s, paradiso’s, ruby tuesday’s

Twitter: @harley_crawshaw2. Why do you always say goodbye with a special codeword?— har (she/her) (@harley_crawshaw) June 14, 2024
Why do all Midwesterners end phone calls the same?? Like instead of just saying, “bye,” it’s always, “buh-bye.” 💀

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Twitter: @cutelilopossum3. Why does going to the bathroom feel like being whisked away on an island adventure?— bekah (@cutelilopossum) April 17, 2021
Do you really live in the Midwest if you don’t have at least one bathroom beach themed?

Twitter: @Seren1tynow4. Why are you so calm when there's a tornado?— Serenitynow (@Seren1tynow) February 28, 2024
Now why do all midwesterners go outside when there’s tornado sirens 😭 not me and 4 of my neighbors just watching from the porch 😭

Twitter: @Orvieto20165. How many Johnsons do you know?— Snarky Blonde (@Orvieto2016) May 29, 2021
Why do like half of Midwesterners have the last name Johnson?

Twitter: @buckeyeconnor6. Why is your driveway the place to be?— Connor (@buckeyeconnor) May 3, 2022
Why do most midwesterners have the urge to sit in their driveway in a folding chair?

Twitter: @smelbypittman7. Does the help?— shelby the friendly ghost ミ☆ 🐀 (@smelbypittman) January 30, 2022
Why do midwesterners yell “GITEEM” at the tv when watching football? Is it so hard to say “get him”?

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Twitter: @know_kaya8. Is spaghetti really a side?— Lois Lane. 💋 (@know_kaya) May 5, 2020
Why do people from the Midwest treat spaghetti as a side dish?

Send this article to someone you'd love to eat some side-spaghetti with.

Twitter: @Avion_FJ9. Is goodbye really that tasty?— Avion FJ (@Avion_FJ) July 12, 2021
Why do midwesterners say “Mmmmmm bye” when getting off the phone?It’s like they’re savoring the goodbye.

Twitter: @officiallyjenna10. What's the deal with the big chairs?— jen kardashian (@officiallyjenna) July 22, 2020
But for real why do midwesterners like taking pics in oversized chairs😂😂😂

Twitter: @starliteresidue11. Can you stop with the fireworks?— Toni Lucia (@starliteresidue) June 29, 2024
Why do Midwesterners feel the need to do fireworks every day of the summer and not just the holidays like normal people?

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Twitter: @UptownChop12. Is it truly not a salad until mayo is added?— Fly Pelican (@UptownChop) April 13, 2021
Why do midwesterners think coating random things in mayo is how you make a salad?

Twitter: @serg81513. Why say bag like that?— 👺 (@serg815) April 10, 2021
Why do Westerners/Midwesterners say “beg” instead of “bag.” So weird.

Twitter: @molneumann14. Have you seen winter before?— molly neumann (@molneumann) November 12, 2019
Why do we as midwesterners love to post about winter on social media as if we’ve never experienced such a phenomenon before

Twitter: @Cyberbean14315. What do you say "milk" like that?— Dean Bean (@Cyberbean143) September 30, 2014
Why does almost everyone from the Midwest call "milk" "melk"?

Twitter: @alyssa_marie13416. What's the allure of a garage fridge?— Alyssa Carr (@alyssa_marie134) April 14, 2020
Ok but why does every middle class family in the midwest have a normal kitchen fridge and an old school white fridge in the basement/garage that’s only for drinks?

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Twitter: @gentlejin17. Is saying the H really necessary?— hana (@gentlejin) October 19, 2020
i always wonder why do some Midwesterners pronounce the “h” in words like “what” and “where”

Twitter: @shrimp_dyke18. Why is Walmart always the epicentre?— Elliot (any pronouns!) (@shrimp_dyke) December 7, 2018
Why does every town in the Midwest use “The Walmart” as a landmark like you could say “oh yeah I live by The Walmart” and everyone would know what you’re talking about

Twitter: @chagzzz19. Do we really need to add a T there?— Dram’n w/ Chagz (@chagzzz) September 11, 2019
Why do midwesterners pronounce a ‘T’ at the end of the word “across”?There’s no ‘t’ in that word folks...

Twitter: @midwestern_ope20. What's so historic about your downtown?— Midwest vs. Everybody (@midwestern_ope) June 16, 2024
Why does every small Midwest town have one of these pic.twitter.com/E6GAwx6488

Twitter: @razmataz426221. Why does everyone seem a little too friendly with clowns?— Future (@razmataz4262) November 30, 2024
I don’t mean to be that guy but why does the Midwest have such a clown culture

Twitter: @funkemup22. How's Uncle Dick doing?— Emmalee (@funkemup) February 26, 2020
Why does everyone from the midwest have an uncle dick. Why is that a universal experience

Twitter: @sprklyhanse23. How many byes make up an official goodbye?— blaze (@sprklyhanse) May 6, 2022
why do midwesterners have to say bye at least like 3 times before the actually leave like please leave i want to go home

Twitter: @newj00ns24. Why is "ope" and "iop" your default reaction to everything?— ɥɐlǝs ꧁꧂ (@newj00ns) June 22, 2021
why do people from the Midwest say iop

Twitter: @CNVinch25. Is it okay to turn the heat on yet?— Cassandra Ambrosius (@CNVinch) October 11, 2023
Why do Midwesterners feel the need to hold off on turning on their heat. It's not a toughness content 🤣

Twitter: @OleDanyeller26. Do you really need to tell me where that clothing is from?— elle (@OleDanyeller) January 9, 2020
This is not a novel tweet by any means, but why do us Midwesterners have this compulsion to respond to compliments on our clothing like this: “Thanks! $10, TJ Maxx. Can you believe?!”

Twitter: @whipwhipwhip45027. Why add the L?— Long Dong Silver (@whipwhipwhip450) April 16, 2022
Why do midwesterners pronounce “saw” as “sawl”

Twitter: @fureelfureel28. What's the deal with "carmel?"— Djew Holiday (@fureelfureel) June 8, 2013
I don't understand why Midwest people pronounce caramel "Carmel"

Twitter: @brycejallday29. What's with all the nuts?— 🅱️ 𝕏 (@brycejallday) December 19, 2024
why does the Midwest have such a monopoly on treats that are made of caramel and nuts and pecans pic.twitter.com/UHWBZV5hJ3

Twitter: @starsttuff30. Why is everyone engaged?— k (@starsttuff) June 26, 2020
why do midwesterners get engaged after dating for six months

Twitter: @Beeach_Bum31. Did you forget the sunscreen again?— Team Skete (@Beeach_Bum) June 12, 2020
Why do ppl from the Midwest struggle with the concept of sunscreen?? They be coming back from vacations looking like Mr. Krabs

Twitter: @DanEstrada32. Why do you need to hide?— Dan Estrada (@DanEstrada) August 7, 2018
Why is it that every person in the Midwest is required to have at least one piece of camo apparel? What are you guys all hiding from?

33. And, finally, what's got you so happy?— ian 🐾 (@jaymzhatefield) March 28, 2024
why do all midwesterners smile at u when u look at themTwitter: @jaymzhatefieldNever stop smilin'!