Michigan. A.K.A The Wolverine State. The Great Lake State...Yes, the Mitten in the Midwest. Michigan is a popular tourist destination for many. So. Many. People. Growing up here was a constant list of pros and cons.

On the plus side:

Well, frankly. There's a lot of plus sides.

-In the Winter, you have snow days. Not a ton like you'd think, but enough to let you enjoy the winter wonderland. As long as your school didn't go over its quota of reasonable snow days, you didn't really care. Not to mention the sledding and skiing? Dunes for days, guys!

-In the summer, the sunsets. Sunsets on the lake. Don't forget the back roads that you fly down blaring your music. There's no way better to spend your summer nights.

-Also, Sherman's ice cream? If you're not from Michigan, you've missed out.

-And Meijer. Its a Midwest thing, but its just another perk to being a Michigander.

-You never have to go more than 15 minutes without being near some body of water, which is pretty awesome during the summer.

-On November 15th, no one goes to school because Hunting season starts and everyone bails.

-By the way, Superman Ice Cream...find it. Invest in it. Thank me later.

-It's also nice to be able to travel an hour in any direction and be able to find new things to do and places to explore.

Then, there's the downside.

-Our lives revolve around the two seasons. Winter and construction. Traffic cones could honestly be our state flower at the rate they are on all roads.

-"Where are you from?" *Proceeds to hold up right hand and points to approximate location that correlates with where you're from*. (I suppose this could be a perk too, but it gets old.)

-Football. Football is a dangerous topic. Rivals include the Ohio Buckeyes and Notre Dame for those Wolverine fans. And if you are from Michigan and root for either rival, rest assured, you probably won't have many friends.

-The winters are brutal. They're cold. The roads are covered in 5 inches of salt. You miss the sunlight and the warmth.

-The summers are humid and hot. Basically, there is no happy medium in Michigan weather.

-THE FIPs. If you know someone from Michigan, ask them what it really stands for. Then ask them why we call them that. They don't know how to drive. They are rude. If you work in any small business or food service, summer is your least favorite time.

Overall, whether you're a "Yooper" or a "Troll", being a Michigander runs through your veins. No matter how far you stray away from the mitten you call home. You will always be smitten with the mitten.