Coasties and Sconnies

Abstract

Prior to attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison I had heard stories from my older sister, a UW-Madison graduate, about the major divide seen between what she referred to as ?Coasties? and ?Sconnies.? Personally, I was never really sure how Wisconsin came to be such a popular school for kids who come from places like the east or west coast, but after visiting one weekend I finally understood why. When people asked me where I was going to school most were in shock and just generally confused as to why I would be traveling half way across the country to a freezing cold city. Based on peoples reactions at home, I started to understand why people who are from Wisconsin, also known as ?Sconnies,? would also be confused and irritated about the large amount of ?Coasties? taking over their city. As a freshman the divide was clear. Choosing to live in the private dorms probably wasn?t the best decision if I wanted to fit in and mingle with the rest; however, it enabled me to truly understand why ?Coasties? are so hated. As the years went by this divide continued to be prevalent- none of my friends were from Wisconsin, the majority of the people out at night weren?t from Wisconsin, and I found that even in my classes there was a large number of ?Coasties.? Now, as a senior I am seeking the truth. What makes a ?Coastie? a ?Coastie.? Do ?Sconnies? really hate us? Also, how does this divide work in an atmosphere where Coasties and Sconnies intermingle? For example, do both groups attend the same bars on the weekends? In an attempt to find the answers to my questions I interviewed various people, both Sconnies and Coasties. With video footage, photos, as well as audio recordings, the famous Coastie/Sconnie divide became clear.