1. You Cringe Every Time You Hear Someone Say "Il-eh-NOISE"
Yes, this shouldn’t be a thing any more…but it is. People, hear our cry! Do not pronounce the ‘S’ in Illinois. It is not ill–eh–noise, it’s ill-eh-noy.
2. You’re Either A Chicagoan or A Northern Kentuckian
Illinois is a vast land geographical sprawl with distinct cultural differences in all regions from the northern part of the state to the southern. Northern Illinoisans relate to all things Chicago while those in the south relate more to the slow pace of southern living. From the Mississippi river to the shores of Lake Michigan, each area has its own personal favorites.
3. Rubbing Honest Abe’s Nose Is Second Nature
It’s a long-standing tradition to rub a statue’s nose for good luck and Abe Lincoln is no exception. In Springfield, the statue at Lincoln’s tomb gets its nose rubbed by 200,000 people yearly. So for Illinoisans, it’s instinctual to rub the nose of any Lincoln statue they see. Which is a lot, being in the land of Lincoln and all.
4. Ketchup And Hot Dogs Do Not Go Together
The Chicago-style hot dog is topped with yellow mustard, chopped onions, sweet pickle relish, pickled peppers, a dill pickle and tomato slices. You can pick out an outsider as soon as they reach for the ketchup. Which is ironic, because Collinsville, IL is home to “The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle.”
5. When It Comes To Baseball, There’s No Such Thing As A Fairweather Fan
For Illinoisans, you’re either a Cubs fan or you’re a White Sox fan. Dating back to the 1900s, this rivalry runs deep and fierce. Though the pressure to choose is most prevalent in Chicago, it’s felt statewide.
6. You Wear Shorts One Day And A Down Coat The Next
Everyone jokes about experiencing all four seasons in one day, but in Illinois you do. Illinoisans start the day in a winter coat and end it in shorts. Tornados, hot fronts and winter storms can all happen in the same month. But that doesn’t keep the good people of Illinois from getting out and about–they factor in the weather and just roll with it.
7. Orange On The Highway Means Summer
The old adage of “There are only two seasons: winter and construction” is true throughout Illinois. There’s a clear correlation between road work and temperature: the more traffic cones, the higher the degrees.
8. You Can Tell Corn From Soybeans In A Split-Second
With 80% of Illinois land being farms, it’s practically intuitive to those south of I-80 or west of I-80 to differentiate between a cornfield or soybean field. Ask a Chicagoan and they’ll think it’s all corn.
9. Starved Rock State Park Is The Most Beautiful Place Ever
Starved Rock State Park isn’t flat, and in Illinois, where most everything else is, that makes it a unique patch of Earth. A pretty darn stunning patch, at that--it’s full of gorges, canyons and 70-foot waterfalls that will take your breath away.
10. Speed Limits Are Only A Suggestion
Illinois is pretty much the Autobahn.
Feature Image Source: Flickr user Ben+Sam
