It took 10 years, and a lot of tenacity, but it finally paid off: Yooper is now a term recognized by Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Question: What’s a Yooper? Answer: a bad ass resident of one of the coolest places in the United States – Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. What was once a term used disparagingly is now associated with being resilient, neighborly, and having a strong work ethic. Congratulations Dad!