What It Means to Be North Dakota Nice

Long before then-Governor Doug Burgum—or perhaps someone before him—coined the phrase “North Dakota Nice,” our parents were already teaching us the habits behind it.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a group of people who challenged that mentality by behaving rudely and cutting into a breakfast buffet line simply because they felt entitled to do so. Never have I had so many people stop me afterward to share what being North Dakota Nice means to them.

One gentleman said North Dakota Nice means walking through a door, then looking back to see whether someone is behind you so you can hold it open. Another person mentioned that, when cars are leaving a parking lot, someone will actually let you into the line. Still another example—something my dad instilled in me—is that when a man and woman walk along a street or sidewalk, the man takes the side closest to traffic so the woman can walk on the inside. Those were only a few of the suggestions; there were many more.

It did not surprise me that friends, acquaintances, and even people I had never met enjoyed my North Dakota Nice column. That spirit is simply part of who we are, and traveling elsewhere can make the difference especially noticeable. Consider driving in a larger city: motorists in the next lane may refuse to let you merge, greeting you instead with an obnoxious honk or a not-too-friendly gesture as they leave you in a rapidly closing lane.

Thank You for Sharing Your Stories

To all the friendly folks who stopped me during the past two weeks—including members of my 6:15 a.m. aquatics exercise group at the YMCA and my Tuesday coffee group at Cookies For You—thank you. You reinforced my belief that North Dakota Nice is, and always has been, a shared mentality that cannot necessarily be defined in a book.

Still, I looked up “North Dakota Nice” online and found this definition:

“North Dakota Nice describes the polite, welcoming, and community-oriented demeanor typical of the state’s residents. It involves a strong sense of connection, helping neighbors, and avoiding direct conflict or rudeness.”

Yes, we get it. North Dakota Nice is not an exclusive label or a conversation starter. It is what we learned as children and, more importantly, what we passed on to our own kids.

I was reminded of that while waiting with my son for gas at a Costco in California. One pump was open, and three cars were waiting.

“Maybe they’ll be nice and let you in,” I said.

“Nah, that ain’t gonna happen,” my son replied. “They aren’t North Dakota Nice out here.” And if on cue one of the cars actually squealed his tires like he was in a NASCAR race and went from the line to the pump in record time. My son turned and looked at me an smiled and said “sometimes you have to remember where you are…”

Enough said. Have a great week.

Rod’s Ramblin’s: A Weekend at Chanhassen

I am writing this on the return trip from Minneapolis, where my wife and I saw the musical Annie at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. If you are looking for a special weekend, I highly recommend the venue and its outstanding musical productions.

Last night, we sat next to people who lived less than 30 minutes from Chanhassen but had never attended a show there. Their granddaughter wanted to see Annie, so they booked tickets online. They were impressed by the cast’s professional presentation and said they planned to attend more shows in the future. We also told them about the Medora Musical, and they responded, “How many days would it take us to get to Medora?”

Today’s Chuckle

It’s OK that some people have to have the last word. If only they’d get to it quicker.