1. Indy Is Always Underrated
For some odd reason, no one outside of Indiana gives Indianapolis the big-city respect it deserves. With a vibrant culture, awesome sports teams, and plenty of great events to attend, Indy is one of the coolest big cities in the country.
2. Everyone Wants To Know What A Hoosier Is
One of the few things that people from the other side of America associate with Indiana is the term “Hoosier” and they likely won’t be satisfied when you try to stumble through your explanation of what it is.
Just keep it simple and say it’s someone from Indiana, nothing more, nothing less.
3. Everyone Is Shocked To Hear What Schools Are In Indiana
Aside from IU and Indiana State, most Americans don’t know that many other famous universities call the Hoosier State their home.
The presence of schools like Butler, Notre Dame, Purdue, Valparaiso, and Ball State are sure to shock out-of-towners.
4. People Really Just Know Indiana Thanks To The Silver Screen
Whether you’re talking about the high school basketball featured in “Hoosiers” or the heart-warming plot of “Rudy,” all that most people know about Indiana is what they’ve gathered from a few movies they’ve seen, most of which aren’t too accurate when it really comes to depicting Indiana life.
5. “That’s Where Parks And Rec Is At, Right?”
Many people you meet outside of the state are likely to have formed plenty of Hoosier State stereotypes in their head already, thanks to the popular show “Parks and Recreation,” starring Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, and Aziz Ansari.
While this comedy is good for a few laughs, viewers of this show will have quite the backwards view of what real Hoosiers are like thanks to the many goofy depictions of the Pawnee townspeople.
6. No One Cares About The Indy 500 Like You Do
“So, it’s like NASCAR?” and “They just go in a circle, right?” are two of the most common responses a travelling Hoosier will get when they try to explain how awesome the Indy 500 is to an out-of-stater.
It’s impossible to really show someone how the country’s most patriotic sports spectacle is basically like the Super Bowl and your favorite music festival rolled into one without having them see it firsthand.
7. College Sports Aren’t Always Such A Big Deal
In Indiana, people care about what team you support. Friendships can be lost and made depending where your loyalty lies. However, many places around the country don’t really care about the NCAA that much.
Fan gear is only seen on game days and rarely will opinions about college sports incite a fight at the local pub. Just one thing that makes living in Indiana unique.
8. People Might Find Muddin’ Strange
Driving around in tons of dirt and mud? Sign me up. Unfortunately, unless you’re headed South, there’s a good chance that mudding trails will be pretty hard to find in your new hometown.
9. No Where Can Top Indiana’s Fried Food
With both the Indiana State Fair and Evansville’s Fall Fest calling this state home, there’s enough fried food here to fill the stomach of every Hoosier.
If you’re used to pigging out on elephant ears and deep-fried Twinkies when the food stands come to town, expect to be disappointed when you leave.
10. Get Your Pork Tenderloin Fix Before You Leave
These giant deep-fried slabs of meat are harder to find when you leave the Hoosier State. Even if it’s not one of your favorites, make sure you have at least one more before you hit the road.
11. You’ll Wish You Took Advantage Of Indiana’s Craft Beer
Cheap beer seems to reign supreme at tailgates and bars across the Hoosier State, despite there being so many other awesome options.
Before you find a new place to call home, make sure you grab at least one 6-pack from Upland Brewery or a specialty bottle from 3 Floyd’s to send yourself off properly.
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12. Weather Isn’t Always Quite So Wacky
At times it might seem like the weather people in Indiana are playing tricks on their listeners with how much what’s falling from the sky can change from hour to hour every single day.
Fortunately, if you’re leaving the Midwest, weather usually gets a bit more predictable. Long gone will be the days of having to plan for sun, rain, and snow every time you walk out your front door.
13. Stop Worrying About What Time It Is
Another minor perk of leaving the Hoosier State is that most areas of the country don’t have such a confusing time zone placement. With part of Indiana on Central Time and part of the state on Eastern, planning events and travelling can get a bit frustrating in certain areas.
14. You’ll Actually Start Missing The Corn Fields
While all of the farmland might seem boring during long drives through the state, it’s better than nothing at all…which is what plenty of places have in America.
If you think a drive through the Hoosier State is boring, trying making it through somewhere like Kansas with your sanity intact.
15. People Always Seem To Like The Colts
Thanks to the presence of two of the friendliest and most talented quarterbacks in recent years, Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, most out-of-towners have a hard time hating on the Colts, despite who their home team is.
It’s just one perk that tends to come along with that “friendly Hoosier” stereotype many out-of-staters hold.
16. But You Probably Won’t See Many Pacers Fans
While the Colts’ fandom might travel a bit, the Pacers’ does not.
If there’s a big regular season game coming up, you’ll probably have a pretty hard time finding a bar that will be showing it, let alone someone to cheer your favorite NBA team on with you.
17. You’ve Been Living In A Sea Of Red
If you’re leaving Indiana, prepare yourself for quite a bit more blue. One of the most conservative and Republican states in the country, most places are a bit more diverse.
18. I Hope You’re Ready For Some Traffic
One thing you’ll quickly realize is that Indiana traffic isn’t that bad, in fact…it’s basically non-existent. Even Indianapolis seems like nothing when you compare it to pretty much any other big city in the country. Try to stay patient while you adjust to much longer commutes.
19. Deer Aren’t Always Out To Get You
While Indiana deer are infamous for their disregard for all traffic laws, these furry creatures aren’t usually such a problem. There’s a good chance people in your new state won’t share the same healthy fear and caution while driving at night.
20. Brush Up On Your Hoosier Celebrities
With famous people like David Letterman, Michael Jackson, and Axl Rose all from the Hoosier State (along with many more talented people), you’ll want to make sure you’re familiar with this list.
This way you can brag to everyone when “Sweet Child O’ Mine” blares through the speakers at the local dive bar.
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21. You’ll Start Craving Ski
A favorite regional soft drink, especially in Southern Indiana, you’ll struggle to find a replacement for this citrusy soda when you leave the Hoosierland.
22. Forget About Finding Grippo’s
If you’re as addicted to this chip as most Hoosiers, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment by leaving. You’ll probably be begging old Hoosier friends to ship huge boxes of these barbecue chips your way in no time.
23. Good Euchre Partners Are Few And Far Between
Good luck finding someone that will even play euchre with you, let alone help you win. Most people just write this game off as too confusing and won’t even try to learn it unless they grew up around it in the Midwest.
24. A Trip To Holiday World Will Never Sound So Awesome
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself talking about Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari quite a bit when you leave the Hoosier State. Free soda and sunscreen?! No wonder it’s “Number 1 for family fun!”
25. No One Will Believe That Santa Claus Is A Real Place
No, it’s not filled with Santas or reindeer. At least not tons of living, breathing Santas and reindeer. However, this unique Christmas-themed Hoosier town is one of a kind when it comes to small town America.
26. People Will Be Shocked To Hear That “Drive Your Tractor To School Day” Was A Thing
If you’re from rural Indiana, you know exactly what I’m talking about…that one day out of the year when roads around town were completely packed by young local FFA members driving their tractors on busy roads.
If you move to a state that’s not huge on farming, expect people to poke fun at you every single time this comes up.
27. Everyone Will Assume You’ve Got A Green Thumb
With farming being one of the only things the Hoosier State is known for, out-of-towners you meet will automatically assume you live on a farm. They’ll be shocked to realize that they know about as much about growing corn and soybeans as you do.
28. People Put Purdue On A Pedestal
For some odd reason, the further West you get, the more people tend to think that Purdue is an Ivy League school, despite it being just another state school at the same level as places like Indiana University.
Perhaps it’s thanks to their well-known engineering program or their ties with the space program, but I’m guessing those Boilermakers aren’t complaining.
29. Humidity Isn’t Always So Crushing
After surviving many Hoosier summers, facing the heat nearly anywhere else will be a breeze. Nothing is worse than stepping out to get the mail, only to realize you’re completely drenched in sweat after a few steps.
30. Most People Really Know Nothing About Indiana
Corn, rednecks, and the Colts. That pretty much sums up what most people you’ll meet think about the Hoosier State. If only they knew how wrong they were.
31. You’ll Miss Indiana More Than You Thought You Would
Life in Indiana has a certain beauty to it that you won’t find anywhere else in the country. The people are friendly, the sunsets are beautiful, and life is relatively stress-free. If you leave the Hoosier State, there’s a good chance you’ll be back soon for more.
What do you miss about Indiana? Tell us in the comments below!
