7 End-Of-Summer Signs Only Midwesterners Understand | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

7 End-Of-Summer Signs Only Midwesterners Understand

"The days get hotter, the time passes quicker, the corn is finally cut, and you know summer is almost over."

381
7 End-Of-Summer Signs Only Midwesterners Understand

Everybody knows it's coming. The end of long days, late nights, and cold drinks. Summer is almost over (well, not technically until the 22 of September, but you get the idea) and school is right around the corner, somewhere between the school supplies aisle and the discounted pool toys aisle. It's not just the pool closings and end-of-season clearance sales that remind us that pumpkin spice season is near, but here, in the Midwest there are some unique tell-tale signs that summer is, in fact, over.

1. $0.79 QuikTrip drinks are over.

QuikTrip continues to be a safe haven for college students in the Midwest. Not only can you fill up your tank but it also remains one of the only socially acceptable places to purchase donuts after noon. Pizza, corndogs, and taquitos all in one place, what more could a person ask for? Oh right, $0.79 fountain drinks. Each summer QuikTrip has a promotion for their Big Q fountain drink- 32 ounces of any drink from the "pop" fountain for only $0.79 to help cut through the summer heat. The first time you put your change on the counter only to be surprised that your drink rings up for more than a dollar, the sinking feeling of school right around the corner sets in.

2. Football season begins.

People everywhere go crazy for football, especially in the Midwest. Once the Super Bowl ends in February, football fans everywhere spend Spring and Summer waiting for another season cheering on their favorite team. Once NFL preseason starts in early August, it signals to fans everywhere that the start of football and tailgating is on the horizon and Summer is clearly over.

3. Swimsuits are on SALE.

One of the easiest ways to tell that Summer is over is the massive clearance sales on swimming suits and swimming gear. Here in the Midwest, the end of Summer is the perfect time to clearance off the shorts and tank tops to make room for coats and jeans!

4. Tornado season is officially over.

Although the threat of tornadoes begins in late spring and moves into early Summer, tornado season in the Midwest dies down into late July and early August. Once the threat of tornadoes dissipates, there's sure to be school looming right around the corner along with the end of Summer. Quite the trade off, Summer is officially over but at least there's no need to worry about tornado threats.

5. It's fair time.

County fairs and state fairs are commonplace in the Midwest. Livestock shows, outdoor concerts, extreme rides, and junk food litter the fairgrounds from late July to early September, reminding us all that Summer is coming to a quick end.

6. Ice cream reclaims it's title as king of frozen deserts.

Every hot Summer day can be cured with a snow cone (or shaved ice, I guess, if it's not in a cone). Snow cone trucks appear at the beginning of each summer, ready to cool kids down with a cup of ice topped with sugary syrup. As Summer winds down, the trucks retreat as ice cream reclaims it's title as the number one frozen dessert. Once these trucks leave town, so do our hopes of a longer Summer.

7. The corn finally gets cut.

"Do you live in the middle of a cornfield?"

As a person who has grown up in Kansas their entire life, I get asked this question more times than I'm proud to admit. It always comes as a surprise when I tell people that contrary to popular belief there are actually close to 400,000 people in my city and yes, we even have high-speed internet. Outside of the city, though, there are countless cornfields and wheat fields littering the state, living up to the stereotypes of Kansas's landscape. When driving down the interstate it's hard to miss rows and rows of corn crowding the fields around the road. All year the stalks continue to grow and by the middle of summer it would be a chore to find your way out if you ever found yourself lost in a field. My entire life I have gauged how much time I have left in the Summer based on the status and growth of the corn. Once the corn is finally cut down in August, I begin gathering all my school supplies and know that there are only weeks, sometimes even days left.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

192040
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

15950
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

458692
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27076
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments