1. People In Sioux Falls Won’t Endure Any Sioux Falls Haters
Sioux Falls definitely gets the short end of the stick when it comes to respect and national attention. Everyone is pretty used to it, but no one is happy about it because it’s rather undeserved. So, if you’re brave enough to say anything bad about Sioux Falls to anyone from Sioux Falls, prepare to hear exactly how wrong you are. Because you are, in fact, wrong. Even when you’re right. And the faster you learn that, the quicker you’ll fit in.
Every once in a while you’ll come across someone who lives here who starts arguing that Sioux Falls should try to be more like bigger cities like Minneapolis or Chicago. Don’t do that. You will lose. But feel free to make fun of North Dakota or West River all you want.
Which leads me to…
2. Everyone In Sioux Falls Throws Up Their East River Gang Signs
The people in Sioux Falls are East River. Everyone else in South Dakota on the other side of the Missouri River are West River. The most important thing to know if you live in Sioux Falls is that East River rules and West River does not.
The people from West River are considered to be more backwoods, more redneck. East River folks are more modern and progressive, part of the metropolitan hotspot of South Dakota and proud. There is a very big distinction between the two and anyone who has lived here for any length of time will undoubtedly be able to tell which side of the river someone falls on within seconds of speaking with them.
3. People In Sioux Falls Judge You By Your School
The University of South Dakota is a great school, and is only about an hour outside of the city. Sioux Falls is where most students move after graduation or even where current students come to party. The problem is, all the students know that it’s the premiere school. And they’re definitely not shy about feeling superior to all the other schools in the area.
If you tell someone that you attend or graduated from Augustana College… Well, be prepared to be the butt of every joke in the room for the next twenty minutes or so.
And it’s not just a college thing, either. Let’s just say that people who graduated from Joe Foss High School have either grown a pretty thick skin, or they’ve learned to just leave that part out of their conversations.
4. Everyone Knows Exactly How It Feels When…
…A 40 degree forecast for the week? Open the windows and break out the shorts!
…Then you realize how many pounds you packed on while hibernating. Next year will be different!
…The news adds “-pocalypse” onto the end of every big storm. Every one.
… The Kum & Go sign never really stops being funny.
…Your friends suggest you go to another bar because this one is packed with SDSU kids.
…Someone mentions the Bikini Lady and you know exactly who they’re talking about, even though neither of you know her.
…You score the last scone at Queen City Bakery and you didn’t hit one red light on Phillips Ave. Best. Day. Ever.
5. And They All Get Irrationally Annoyed When…
…Someone corrects you on the difference between Uptown and Downtown.
…More talks about North Dakota merging with South Dakota.
…Someone calls your favorite childhood game “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
…Your friend prefers Starbucks to Coffea. Ugh.
…The national news talks about the first day of spring as if it’s without snow.
…What? No laser show at The Falls?!
…Oh, you left your car parked on the street? Here comes the snow plow.
Browser not compatible.
6. But People In Sioux Falls Are Still So Nice Sometimes It’s Confusing
People in Sioux Falls might get irrationally irritated by things just like everyone else, but they definitely don’t show it in the same way. Sometimes the locals here get a reputation for being snobby. But that’s just the people from West River talking.
The city is overflowing with niceness. That “Minnesota Nice” you hear so much about. Complete strangers say hello to you when you cross paths, they ask you how you’re doing, they hold doors and never forget to say please and thank you.
Of course, sometimes that niceness can get a little… well, confusing. Scott Hoy’s infamous commercial where he tries to chastise people for maybe blaming backseat passengers for rollover accidents went viral, even getting joked about by Jimmy Fallon. But even after being mocked on national television, he was still nice about it. Obviously.
7. Folks In Sioux Falls Always Prefer Suits To Overalls
The East River-West River distinction is also important when it comes to stereotypes because when most people think of South Dakota, they tend to envision pioneer types. The pioneer types can definitely be found throughout South Dakota, but they’re much more prevalent west of the river.
Mostly due to the lack of business tax, tons of banks and corporations have set up shop in Sioux Falls, which is how the city scored the top spot on Forbes’ list of Best Small Places for Business and Careers. The growing number of white collar jobs has sent employment rates shooting up as well as the number of suits people around here buy.
So, if you’re looking for a cowboy, you might get lucky, but overall you’re looking in the wrong place.
8. Everyone In Sioux Falls Has A Different Definition Of The Word “Crime”
It’s common anywhere for people to have lived in a city for so long, they lose all outside perspective. That happens a lot in Sioux Falls, too. You’ll run into people who start talking about all of the “crime” and “gangs” downtown because of one random story they read in the paper.
These sentiments of fear of Sioux Falls usually makes everyone else laugh or roll their eyes because, really? But it does go to show just how safe the city is.
When it comes to national crime, Sioux Falls is one of the safest cities you could choose. Sure, it’s not without problems – no city is. But they’re fairly small in the grand scheme and if you’re coming from a city that does have major crime issues, you’ll feel like you just entered Utopia. The people in Sioux Falls are much more trusting in general because they can be.
But they don’t go so far as to leave their car running while they go into the store – that’s West River weirdness.
9. Folks In Sioux Falls Know How To Make Everything About Sioux Falls
People in Sioux Falls have a reputation for being a little self-centered when it comes to their city. It’s a reputation that they can’t seem to escape. The rest of South Dakota is pretty much in agreement that Sioux Falls can often act like it’s the only city that matters, even though there is plenty more thriving in the state.
It can bleed through state lines and even internationally, too. When a reporter covering the Olympic games overseas asked an Olympian who was not affiliated with South Dakota what he thought about Sioux Falls, no one from South Dakota was surprised.
But they’re just misunderstood. Their intense interest in Sioux Falls isn’t because they think the world revolves around their city. It’s not even because they want it to – although, that wouldn’t be so bad. It’s because they love their city.
10. Because They All Know What Everyone Else Doesn’t
Living in Sioux Falls and knowing what the city has to offer is like being in on America’s best kept secret. It’s a thriving, vibrant, surprisingly fun and interesting place to live, the perfect small city. People who live here talk about Sioux Falls will be like in 20 years in a positive way, which is something that a lot of cities don’t do often enough anymore. And yet, Sioux Falls still gets no love.
So don’t mistake their love for their city as snobbery. And definitely don’t write it off as hyperbole. The people in Sioux Falls know exactly what everyone else is missing out on. If and if they choose to keep missing, that’s on them.
Feature Image Source: McNally’s Irish Pub Facebook
Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think of Sioux Falls in the comments below!
