Going away to college made me realize that the area of Minnesota I come from is sort of a strange place. We have a certain culture, language, accent, etc. Here are some of the things that you will only understand if you are from northern Minnesota.

1. We have an accent

It is not quite a Canadian draw, but close to it. Many southern Minnesotans can even distinguish this accent from their own.

2. It's SOW-na

This is actually something I got into an argument with my friends over. Northern Minnesota was dominated by Finnish immigrants back in the day, and they are the reason why we call it sow-na and not saw-na. When I first said sauna in front of my friends, they had looked at me like I had said some foreign word, when I grew up saying it like that and everyone around me also said it the same way!

3. Lake life

We live in such a lake-filled area, that going to the lake for a vacation is a common thing. Everyone either lives on the lake, has a cabin, or at least a boat they can take out.

4. Deer hunting season

You'd swear this was a calendar holiday. It technically is for us! A lot of families would go out to the woods for the weekend hoping to get that big buck. Back in high school, many people wouldn't even come to the Friday before opener day because they were out getting ready for the weekend.

5. We take the Fourth of July seriously

This has to be one of the biggest holidays in northern Minnesota. Probably because the fourth falls right around the warmest time of the year here.

6. Oh and the drinking

Small towns are just known for the drinking, but there is a place in northern Minnesota called the "Iron Range." This is a place quoted to "have a bar on literally every corner." Maybe its because we don't have much to do, but maybe we just like our beer.

7. Hockey, hockey, hockey

Hockey is taken very seriously in Minnesota, especially the north. I am assuming it's because we have snow six months out of the year, making outdoor hockey season a long one.

8. We are immune to the cold

When I moved to Grand Forks in North Dakota, I got told a lot that the weather there would be a lot worse than where I came from. Honestly, there was no difference. The winter I experienced there was almost the exact same as it would have been at home!

9. We enjoy the Great Outdoors

We have forests and lakes in our backyards. I don't know many people from northern MN who hate the outdoors.

10. We love our state.

A fairly large state in the northern Midwest that not many have been to or even heard about much. But we show pride in our state and love it with every ounce of our hearts.