Coastie

This article is about a regional label for students from outside that region. For a type of bicycle, see Coastie (bicycle). For other uses, see Coasties (disambiguation).

The term coastie or coasty (more often heard and seen as the plural coasties) is a derogatory term used in Midwestern U.S. universities (Especially the University of Wisconsin-Madison) to denote students who come from outside of the region, mainly from the East or West coast. Coasties are easily confused with FIBS, students from the north shore suburbs of Chicago. The term is thought to have been coined in the early to mid 90s.

Although the most general use of the term denotes only the origin of these students, there are often implicit or explicit associations that use of the term can evoke. One is that coasties do not pay their own tuition because they come from socioeconomically privileged families. Other associations include living in private residence halls and membership in a fraternity or a sorority. An additional association is indulgence in fashion. These are very stereotypical categorizations of these students. These "coasties" are taking on the challenge of exploring a new part of the country and are constantly discriminated for it. All coasties will admit that there are some coasties that fit the stereotype well, but it is sad that they have to reflect the group as a whole. Many coasties are fun, intelligent, hard-working students, just like the rest of the student body at the universities. The stereotypes and name calling is often extremely offensive to many of the students from the coasts. No one from the coasts would ever give people from the midwest the same attitude they give towards the coasties if they came to school where they live.

External links

• Coastie Song