21 things you need to do before you’re officially a Denverite

People move to Denver all the time, be it for a job, the skiing, or the... progressive policies towards certain types of recreation. Many of these people start saying they're "from Denver" as soon as they arrive, but there's actually a 21-step protocol to go through before you can be a true Denverite.

So what do you have to experience before you can tell all your Instagram followers that you are actually from Denver? Check out these 21 things...
 

1. Survive a snowstorm

The neighbors won’t think too highly of you when you are scraping ice off your windshield with a credit card.

 

2. Drive the wrong way on a one-way street Downtown

You would think city planners would put a sign up or something... you thought wrong.

 

3. Climb a 14er

Just make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Taking the stairs in the parking garage every day doesn’t count as training.

 

4. Eat the JCB burger at My Brother’s Bar

Just because it kicks the *$%# out of any burger you have... wherever it is you came from.

Denver B-Cycle

5. Take a B-Cycle

You’ll need to after you discover all of the Car2Gos are taking the good parking spots.
 

6. Have a night at the Grizzly Rose

You are the only person in the place who thinks you are really good at the two-step. There are a lot of people in the room.
 

7. Get a photo radar ticket

In 3-5 business days you’ll be getting a great picture to put on the fridge.
 

8. Run from geese in the park

You’d think the DPD would have recruited them in place of attack dogs by now...
 

9. Wait wayyyy too long for brunch

The pancake-of-the-day will without a doubt be the highlight of your weekend.

Flickr/denverjeffrey

10. Sit in the South stands at Sports Authority Field

Probably the only place ever where you won’t mind having beer, popcorn, and puke all over your shoes.
 

11. Sit in ski traffic

Apparently waking up extra early to "beat the traffic" was everyone else's idea, too.
 

12. Understand the weather

Meaning that you don’t get too surprised when you drive to work in a blizzard, catch happy hour on a rooftop, and then drive home in a rainstorm.
 

13. Experience Casa Bonita

That last bean & taco platter is never, ever a good idea -- but you do it anyway.
 

14. Take the Coors Brewery tour

Actually, take as many brewery tours as possible.
 

15. Make a... purchase

Just so you can rub it in the faces of all your friends who still live in those "closed-minded" states.

Flickr/mplemmon

16. Get a ticket for having your dog off-leash

"Are you really going to give ME a ticket when those people over there are smoking mar... oh, right."

17. Run out of breath

There are only 12 steps up to your apartment!

18. Change your cell phone to a 303 number

Definitely don’t take one of those 720 numbers either. 303 or threaten to switch mobile carriers.

19. Get towed

Instead of getting the pancake-of-the-day, now you have to spend your Sunday waiting (hungover) to retrieve a car that was actually parked legally in the first place.

20. Close down a Colfax dive bar

Bonus points if you see a sex act or a stabbing on your way home!

21. Declare that you're never, ever leaving

Where are you gonna go? Seattle?

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