![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-1.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Falling plague to the common state of Midwest ambiguity, if someone isn\u2019t from within driving distance of Illinois, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll have a hard time putting this state on the map.
\nDespite its unique shape and position on the Great Lakes, its existence as a \u201cflyover state\u201d tends to get it ignored by out-of-towners when it comes to geography class.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
If someone discovers you\u2019re from Illinois, they\u2019ll automatically assume you\u2019re from Chicago. That\u2019s usually the only city they know in this state, after all.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
After an out-of-towner finds out you don\u2019t have your roots in Chicago like they assumed, they\u2019ll probably ask what else there really is in Illinois.
\nSure, many of the residents here aren\u2019t living the big city life like those in Chicagoland, but life in the Land of Lincoln is pretty awesome any way you cut it.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
While most team nicknames have some sort of historical significance or inspiration, the term Illini was actually just coined by a student newspaper that needed a term to address their audience in 1874.
\nIt took a couple decades to catch on, but it was soon adopted as the term for all University of Illinois fans.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-6.jpg\")
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While this might be the dish that the Windy City is known for, people in this state aren\u2019t eating these heavy, cheese-filled pies breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It\u2019s more of a special occasion thing and the deep dish concept gets rarer the farther South you go.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-7.jpg\")
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It\u2019s easy to assume that everyone cheers for this well-known Chicago team, but that\u2019s far from the case around these parts in this state.
\nThe Cubs actually have a larger fan base in the Chicagoland area and the closer you get to the southwest border, the more St. Louis Cardinals fans you\u2019ll find.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Ever since some dude and his stinky goat were asked to leave a World Series game at Wrigleyville decades ago, the Cubs post-season efforts have been pretty dismal.
\nSuperstitious or not, many fans tend to blame losses on this furry critter instead of poor performance on the diamond.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-5.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A favorite past time in Illinois, nothing is more relaxing than taking a float trip down the river. All you need is some beer, a few friends with inner tubes, a warm day, and you\u2019re set.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-9.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, you\u2019ve got the wrong place. Simpsons\u2019 writer Matt Groening revealed in a relatively recent interview that the Springfield from the show is actually set in Oregon.<\/p>\n
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![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-10.jpg\")
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If someone is unfamiliar with big cities, they automatically tend to assume that life in Chicago is like something from Scarface. While Chicago definitely has gang controlled areas, the average tourist won\u2019t be able to tell.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-11.jpg\")
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This one is a Midwest thing that always confuses outsiders. Put simply, if the corn in the fields has grown to a knee-high height by July, it\u2019s gonna be a good farming year.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-12.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Using over 45 pounds of vegetable-based dye every year on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, the green river of Chicago is quite an awesome sight to see. Just don\u2019t jump in, regardless of how much holiday spirit you\u2019ve got.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-13.jpg\")
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Falling victim to the Midwest weather cycle, trying to predict weather in Illinois can be a bit like playing Russian Roulette. You never really know what\u2019s coming and every once in a while you\u2019ll get caught in something you\u2019re completely unprepared for.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-14.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Big storms tend to happen pretty frequently in this state\u2026 so we\u2019re pretty desensitized. If the storm is right above an Illinoisan\u2019s house, they might head to the basement. However, until it gets that bad, they\u2019ll probably be on the porch watching it roll in with a beer.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-15.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Practically a punishable offense in the Chicago area, the sweetness of the ketchup is said to take away from the flavor of the high-quality meat that\u2019s often used. Even the simple act of asking for ketchup when you\u2019ve ordered a hot dog is pretty taboo.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-16.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Yes, but they\u2019re not what you think they are. Instead of being a rusted metal ring, the \u201chorseshoes\u201d eaten in Illinois are open faced sandwiches consisting of Texas Toast, some sort of protein, plenty of fries, and then a generous portion of cheese sauce.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-17.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Standing 1,451 feet tall, the Willis Tower is the most recognizable feature of the Chicago Skyline.
\nWhile it\u2019s technically called the Willis Tower, most Chicagoans still call this building by its first name, the Sears Tower.
\nHowever, the recent sale of this skyscraper probably means another name change is coming soon.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-18.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Pretty much, yes. Everyone absolutely goes nuts for the Bears regardless of who fills the starting lineup each year…unless someone is in the southern part of the state cheering on the Rams, that is.<\/p>\n
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![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-19.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
To people from Illinois, Chicagoland and the rest of the state should be considered completely different areas of the country. They\u2019re absolutely nothing alike.
\nYou\u2019ll often here people joke that \u201cdownstate\u201d Illinois starts where Chicago ends, while others consider \u201cdownstate\u201d to start a little below the mid-state capital.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-20.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
While Abe was born in Kentucky, his family soon travelled to Illinois where he spent his formative years. It\u2019s also here where Honest Abe chose to start his political career making this state forever the Land of Lincoln.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-21.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Winters can be rough in this state, especially when you consider how the lake effect brings extra snow to northern areas. But don\u2019t worry, the cold months pass and the summer makes it completely worth it.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-22.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Known around the country for looking like a giant silver pinto bean, the Cloud Gate is said to be inspired by liquid Mercury and was made to reflect the city\u2019s skyline. Your experience in Chicago isn\u2019t complete until you grab a selfie with this mirrored feature in Millennium Park.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-23.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Outside of Chicago, Illinois is filled with a ton of farmland. That being said, getting from one town to another means a lot of long, flat driving.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-24.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Though Chicago is known for its skyscrapers, rural Illinois should be known for its forests. And with these forests come a ton of hunters. Don\u2019t be too surprised when someone has a few deer heads on their wall in this state.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-25.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
This acronym might be better known for its use in the drug world, but if you hear someone in the Chicago area talking about LSD, they\u2019re probably talking about Lake Shore Drive, a famous road that runs alongside the lake.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-26.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Thanks to the harsh winters in this state, all of the road crews seem to wait until summer to make their repairs. All of that orange can get pretty annoying.<\/p>\n
![\"27](\"http:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/citybuzz\/2015\/04\/il-ask\/ila-27.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
When asked this question, very few born and raised Illinoisans will admit they want to leave. Blending the best of both the rural and metropolitan worlds, this state has something for everyone. Once you fall in love with the Land of Lincoln, you\u2019ll be hooked for life.
\nWhat\u2019s the question everyone asks you just because you\u2019re from Illinois? Tell us in the comments below!<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1. \u201cWhich One Is That Again?\u201d Source: Wikimedia Commons (edited) Falling plague to the common state of Midwest ambiguity, if someone isn\u2019t from within driving distance of Illinois, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll have a hard time putting this state on the map. Despite its unique shape and position on the Great Lakes, its existence as a \u201cflyover state\u201d tends to get it ignored by out-of-towners when it comes to geography class. 2. \u201cDo You Spend A Lot Of Time In Chicago?\u201d Source: Flickr User Timo Kohlenberg If someone discovers you\u2019re from Illinois, they\u2019ll automatically assume you\u2019re from Chicago. That\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":41001,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinions","post--single"],"yoast_head":"\n