You’re Not Really From South Dakota Unless You’ve Complained About These 12 Things

Ah, South Dakota—the land of wide-open prairies, giant stone faces, and more cows than people. We’ve got two Dakotas, but somehow North gets all the attention (and by “attention,” we mean snow). From blizzards to bison traffic jams, life in the Mount Rushmore State is full of rugged charm and totally justified complaints. If you haven’t grumbled about these South Dakota quirks while filling your coffee cup at a gas station that doubles as the town center, are you even from here?

Everyone Thinking You’re From North Dakota

We’re South Dakota. Different state, different vibe, slightly warmer, still cold.

Tourists Treating Mount Rushmore Like It’s the Only Thing Here

It’s a rock with faces. We also have Badlands, buffalo, actual people, and the world’s most aggressive roadside attraction (looking at you, Wall Drug).

Blizzards That Laugh in the Face of Your Winter Jacket

If your car hasn’t disappeared under a snowdrift, you haven’t lived through a real South Dakota winter.

The Wind That Could Relocate Your Barn

It’s not breezy—it’s “hold onto your livestock” windy.

Road Construction That’s Always “Almost Done”

SD DOT: “We’re improving the road!” Us: “Which decade?”

Bison Stopping Traffic Like They Own the Place

Because they do own the place. Just let ‘em pass. Slowly. One… at… a… time.

Summer Being 3 Weeks Long and Full of Bugs

You wait all year for warmth and get rewarded with mosquitoes the size of drones.

Everyone Assuming You Live on a Farm

Not everyone here owns a tractor—but we all know someone who does.

Sioux Falls Getting Everything

It’s like the cool older sibling who gets all the new restaurants and working stoplights.

The East River vs. West River Divide

Different geography, different attitudes, same passive-aggressive rivalry since forever.

Tornado Warnings Being Treated Like Background Noise

“Should we go to the basement?”
“Nah, lemme finish this burger first.”

Wall Drug Signs Being EVERYWHERE

You can drive 300 miles in any direction and still be 4 hours away from free ice water.

Sure, we South Dakotans love to complain—about the cold, the wind, and why we even have to share a name with another state—but it’s all part of the prairie pride. Deep down, we wouldn’t trade our big skies, small towns, or bison traffic jams for anything. Complaining here isn’t rude—it’s just how we break the ice… even if it’s literally frozen.

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