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 Coastie (disambiguation).

The term coastie or coasty (more often heard and seen as the plural coasties) is a pejorative 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.[1] The term is thought to have been coined in the early to mid-1990s.[2]

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.[3][4]

The term "Coastie" also refers to people who listen to the nationally syndicated radio program "Coast to Coast AM." Because the program features call-ins and guests, with variously accepted credentials, treating subjects that are sometimes a little to the "crypto" side, the term "Coastie" carries its own set of implicit and explicit associations.

References

  1. ↑ Cigelske, Tim (March 22, 2007). "Straight out of Sconnie Nation". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  2. ↑ "'Coastie Song' Stirs Up U. Of Wisconsin Campus". The Guardian. December 15, 2009.
  3. ↑ Twohey, Megan (November 14, 2005). "The great 'Coastie' divide". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Anyssa (December 15, 2009). "'Coastie' song, video spark debate at UW - Jewish link in student video upsets some". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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