1. Convincing People That Cleveland Isn’t Thaaaat Bad
For some reason, America hates Cleveland. From jokes on television to viral online videos, Cleveland gets picked on all the time.
It’s actually a pretty awesome city with great food and some of the craziest sports fans around, but no out-of-stater will believe you when you tell them that. Fine, it’s their loss.
2. Trying To Plan Ahead For A Day’s Worth Of Weather
Unfortunately Ohio is no exception to that wacky weather that the Midwest is famous for. At times, forecasts seem to be made up and no amount of clothing is enough preparation. It doesn’t take long to realize that you’ll always need an umbrella and winter coat within arm’s reach even on the sunniest of days.
3. Cheering For The Bengals Or Browns
If you’re from Ohio, you love either the Bengals or the Browns, despite their lackluster seasons in recent years. You know what? We don’t need the Patriots or the Seahawks here.
Our teams might be down on their luck but it doesn’t keep this state from having some of the most die-hard fans around.
4. Reminding People That It’s “THE” Ohio State University
If you’re a bigtime OSU fan, the only way to mention your favorite team is by saying “THE Ohio State University.” People who don’t follow the team hardly ever say it properly and that’s just downright annoying.
5. Convincing Friends That Your Hometown Is Cool
Ohioans don’t live in a state like Florida or California and as a result people tend to completely ignore the Buckeye State when it comes to vacation time. If you live in Ohio, people will probably expect you to come visit them, not the other way around.
6. Managing One’s Feelings Towards LeBron
At first he was a hero, then a traitor, then he came back and now he’s sort of a hero again. It all can get pretty confusing for a Cavs fan, but at the end of the day they really just want the city to earn a ring.
7. Finding An Excuse To Skip Work On Opening Day
The opening day of baseball season might as well be a holiday in Ohio. Whether you’re cheering for the Reds or the Indians, people go absolutely crazy come the first home game of the year, as streets flood with fans ready to party.
8. Stopping At Just One (…Or Two) Buckeyes
The perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this regional candy is one of the most addictive substances known to man. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll eat an entire tray of them without noticing.
9. Keeping The O-H-I-O In The Right Order
It might only be 4 letters, but it’s harder than it looks. Fortunately if you’ve got too many O’s or I’s, a passerby will probably let you know.
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10. Having To Drive In… Who Knows What?
A side effect of the crazy Ohio weather, roadways tend to get a little sketchy from time to time. Whether it’s covered in powdery snow, a sheet of ice, or heavy rain, road conditions in certain areas tend to be as unpredictable as what’s falling from the sky that hour.
11. Getting Stuck Behind A Horse And Buggy
Thanks to the huge Amish population in Ohio, it’s not unusual to catch up to a buggy on the roadways. Just hope there’s a dotted lane line coming up soon so that you can pass them.
12. Holding In The Puke On Massive Coasters
The rollercoaster capital of the country, Ohio is home to giants like Cedar Point and Kings Island. Of course it’s super fun to ride as many as possible, but if you over-do it you might end up with a pretty embarrassing ride pic.
13. Explaining Cincinnati Chili
Some people love it, some people hate it, but everyone from Ohio has had to explain it at least once. We get it, rest of the world. It seems strange to you.
14. Conversing With Michiganders
There’s nothing worse than a Wolverine fan and nothing is more awkward than having to talk college football with one of them, especially if you’re not in your home state.
Most Buckeye fans are able to hold back from showing their anger, but everyone knows there are a few four-letter words that they want to say.
15. Dealing With Summertime Construction
The second the cold weather stops, the orange cones pop up. It can get pretty frustrating in the summer when drives end up being much longer than they should be thanks to long stretches of roadways that are up for repairs.
16. Surviving Halloween In Athens
It’s no surprise that things get a little wild at Ohio University come Halloween. Well-known as a party school, surviving this weekend here with your liver intact is quite a feat.
17. Keeping That Polish Boy Sauce From Getting On Your Shirt
A native to Cleveland, the Polish Boy combines a kielbasa, fries, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce all on a single hot dog bun. Needless to say, it’s another messy food from the Buckeye State that should be consumed with caution.
18. Convincing Out-Of-Towners To Try Goetta
A breakfast sausage that consists of ground meat, oats, and spices, most people not from Ohio find this dish a little strange. Perhaps it’s the way it looks or maybe it’s the name, but it’s always a hard time trying to get an outsider to put some in their mouth.
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19. Confusing People With Your Many “Pleases”
For some reason, people in Ohio absolutely love the word “please.” Used quite often in the place of “excuse me,” there’s polite and then there’s too much. It’s important to recognize the difference.
20. Picking Which Great Ohio College To Cheer For
With so many awesome schools in state like Dayton, OSU, Kent State, Miami of Ohio, and Ohio University, it can be a little difficult to pick just one. Pick carefully, after you choose which side you’re on, you’re stuck for life.
21. Learning To Pronounce Cuyahoga Properly
This word doesn’t look too difficult until you’re saying it out loud. Tons of Ohioans are still debating how it should be pronounced, with “Ky-ya-hoe-ga” being the most widely accepted variation.
22. Picking Your Favorite Of The 3 Big C’s
While most states consider themselves lucky to have one huge city, Ohio is fortunate enough to have three: Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus. They all have their own list of arguments for why they’re the best. It’s probably a debate that will never be solved.
23. Listening To People Diss Ohio For No Reason
The insults don’t stop at just Cleveland. For some reason, America doesn’t have much appreciation for this state despite how awesome it is. Residents of Ohio are likely to find themselves constantly defending where they live. It gets old fast.
24. Political Craziness Every Four Years
Thanks to being a “swing state,” Ohio gets pretty wild during the presidential election season. With an obscene amount of yard signs and tons of political speeches, most Ohioans are probably happy the President doesn’t serve a shorter term, regardless of which party’s in office.
25. Losing Your Fry In Your Frosty
Homegrown in Columbus, it’s safe to say that the people of Ohio were dipping their fries in their frosties before anyone else. While this should make them pros, a few fries are sure to slip from anyone’s fingertips.
26. Holding In Ohio Pride
There’s no one prouder of their state than someone from Ohio. With some of the best colleges in the country, a crazy awesome food scene, and the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, it makes sense why Ohioans can’t help but love the place they’re from.
Know the struggles of living in Ohio too well? Tell us about it in the comments below!
