1. Everyone In Lansing Is Ready To Go To War For The Spartans
Fans of the Michigan Wolverines know Lansing is not the place to find friendly faces. Given its proximity to East Lansing, the home of Michigan State University, it should come as no surprise that the overwhelming majority of Lansing residents are raised to be diehard supporters of the Michigan State Spartans.
2. People In Lansing All Believe In Magic
It should come as no surprise that Lansing’s favorite son is unquestionably Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Before he took up permanent residence on everybody’s list of the greatest players to ever put a ball in a basket, Magic led the Vikings of Lansing’s Everett High School to their first state basketball championship in 1977. The Magic Man then followed that up by heading over to East Lansing and starring on the 1979 Michigan State Spartan squad that won the NCAA championship in what is still the highest-rated game in the history of college basketball. So, yeah, he’s kind of a big deal in his hometown.
3. Folks In Lansing Are Total Winter Warriors
Winter in Lansing can actually be more daunting to deal with than in other parts of the Michigan because Lansing is both landlocked and isolated. This means heavy snowfall in Lansing is often accompanied by a feeling of hopelessness. Helping to alleviate some of that hopelessness is the Christmas tree in front of the Capitol Building, which is always a heartwarming sight during the holiday season. However, if the well-lit tree isn’t doing it for you, you’ll just need to hope the snow gets removed from the freeways so that you can find some more festive surroundings.
4. People In Lansing Are Very Passionate About Protesting
In Lansing, if you walk into a restaurant there is a solid chance you will find a group of protesters replete with placards, buttons and megaphones, and you are likely to run into a different group of them every day. And of course, for every group of protesters, you’ll find a group of counter protesters prepared to protest them.
While most Lansing protests are of the typical right-to-work and immigration reform variety, some of the protests have been a little more attention gathering. A taxation reform protest saw an appearance made by a giant papier-mache pig called “Mr. Perks,” and Lansing residents won’t soon forget the infamous “Vagina Monologues” protest that took place after a female legislator was banned from speaking on the House floor for referring to the female anatomy by its proper name.
5. People In Lansing Are NOT The Same As People From East Lansing
Despite the fervent pride held by Lansing’s residents for Michigan State University and its athletic programs, there are few things that will instantly raise the ire of Lansing’s inhabitants as quickly as someone referring to East Lansing as “Lansing.” They are distinct cities with distinct governments, and each has its own sets of issues. Just ask East Lansing’s mayor what it’s like to have to keep Michigan’s largest population of undergraduate students under control.
6. Everyone In Lansing Works For The Man
To think that once upon a time folks laughed when Lansing was designated as the capital of Michigan. Well, the joke is on the scoffers of yesteryear, because Lansing’s government is a full-fledged industry, and almost all of Lansing’s residents either work directly for the state government, work for a business that interacts with the government, or work for a business that supports the government employees.
7. Everyone In Lansing Is A Snappy Dresser
With legislators, lawyers and lobbyists lining Lansing’s lanes (say that three times fast), it’s hard to go anywhere without encountering a collection of very well dressed, busy-looking folks. If you find yourself feeling under dressed and self conscious around these sharp looking government workers, never fear; Kositchek’s on Washington Square is a local landmark and is prepared to upgrade your wardrobe to help you fit in.
8. People In Lansing Aren’t Actually From Lansing
Obviously, the ranks of Michigan’s state government are filled by elected officials from all over the Great Lakes State, and many of these officials bring legislative workers from their respective hometowns with them. As a result, Lansing’s office buildings are loaded with employees from all over Michigan, many of whom will only be there for a short period of time before finding employment closer to their original hometowns. And, since Michigan’s government imposes term limits on its legislators, this ensures a fresh crop of officials and staff members every few years.
9. No One Goes Out After 5 p.m. On Thursdays
Monday through Thursday, Lansing’s downtown area is teeming with life, the majority of which is supplied by government employees. People are filing in and out of Tavern On the Square and the Peanut Shop, and life is good. However, after 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, there might as well be tumbleweed rolling through the streets, because the Legislature is through with its weekly sessions, and that means they are headed home until next week, with a lot of their staff members accompanying them on those journeys.
10. People In Lansing Know There’s No Place Like Home
All in all, Lansing is one of the best places in the whole state, as locals will be quick to tell you. Working in Lansing usually means working in or near a series of veritable palaces, with great opportunities to interact with people from different walks of life from all over the state. Put all of that within a stone’s throw from one of the best universities in the country, and you’ve got the formula for a living arrangement that never gets boring. Lansing for the win.
Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think of Lansing in the comments below! 
