People from Ohio know that life here is like no other. From sports rivalries to strange pronunciations, there are simply undeniable trademarks of those of us who live in Ohio that you won’t always find in other states.

1. “O-H” essentially demands an immediate “I-O” reply.
Dan Keck/Flickr
Ohio State fans are really ride or die, and we're something of a little family. No matter which state you actually hail from, we'll accept you as a brother or sister if you're an Ohio State fan.
2. Also, “Ohio” is actually spelled best with one’s arms rather than one’s voice or handwriting.
timothyarnold/Flickr
Anywhere, anytime. We're always willing to flaunt our Ohio pride.
3. We can’t seem to agree on the way that “wash” is pronounced. Sometimes there’s a “r.” Sometimes there isn’t.
jgmarcelino/Flickr
This is, of course, dependent upon which part of the state you call home. In some parts, it's warsh all day, every day.
4. Street construction is a way of life that we don’t seem to know how to function with or without.
Rich Renomeron/Flickr
Facebook status? It's complicated.
5. Also, gaping potholes. Gandalf the Gray is STILL falling down
Josh Koonce/Flickr
Potholes are a way of life in Ohio. We can't help but embrace them... while trying to avoid hitting them with our cars, of course.
6. Snowfall isn’t rare but snow days are rare — though that never seems to stop everyone from rushing to the nearest grocery store or Walmart to purchase all the milk and bread.
Erik Drost/Flickr
You’d think by now snow wouldn’t scare us…You’d think.
7. We usually give directions based on a location’s proximity to a major city and we give them in time increments, not miles.
Mr.TinDC
"It’s an hour outside of Cleveland" will be the sort of answers you get from us and you really can’t expect anything else.
8. Four designated seasons are a whimsical, “Alice in Wonderland” type of concept we’d like to think we know about. In reality, we know that any one of them can occur at any given moment because Mother Nature knows no boundaries in Ohio.
Erik Drost/Flickr
In certain parts of Ohio, you can experience all four seasons in one week... or one day, if you're particularly unlucky.
9. You are 100 percent convinced that you don’t have an accent.
Lisa Zins/Flickr
Accent?! Hahaha, what accent?
10. Flea markets are pretty freaking awesome.
Rogers Community Action Inc./Facebook
There's so much to love at local farmers markets and flea markets, like the Rogers Community Auction and Open Air Market, which is open every Friday.

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11. Carbonated beverages are “pop” because “soda” is an old-fashioned term only used to describe fancy pop with ice cream or something in it. Right?
TheKarenD/Flickr
People from Ohio will act confused when you call it soda. We know what you mean, obviously, but... it's pop here.
12. When someone refers to Athens or Oxford you don’t necessarily consider Europe right away.
Ron Bailey/Flickr
Also sharing a name with other faraway places are Ohio cities like Lima, Delphos, and Geneva.
13. Even if you don’t like sports you really, really understand the differences between universities such as Ohio University and Ohio State University (and Michigan University and Michigan State University) because during football season it is essentially a matter of life and death and the last thing you’re going to do is risk looking stupid in front of your fellow fans.
Navin75/Flickr
Yes, life or death. Not even being dramatic here.
14. You know the reality of the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry that can tear family and friends apart and it’s perfectly acceptable.
Wystan/Flickr
This is a fact that has been known for generations.
15. While driving (anywhere in the world really) your eyes scan surrounding woods and the road ahead for deer.
Tau Zero/Flickr
Better safe than sorry... after all, there are more than half a million deer in Ohio!
16. Summer days without humidity are incomprehensible.
romana klee/Flickr
R.I.P., good hair days. If humidity makes your hair frizz, Ohio is not the ideal state for you.
17. Buffalo Wild Wings is “B-Dubs.” Period. Don’t ask for an explanation. That’s just the way it is.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
B-Dubs was founded in Ohio in 1982, if you were wondering.
18. Stores such as Meijer, Kroger and JC Penney are referred to in possessive form. It’s “Meijer’s,” “Kroger’s” and “JC Penney’s” here and we don’t care if that’s wrong because it just feels right to us.
Mike Kalasnik/Flickr
Some go all in, pluralizing restaurants to names like Chipotle's.
19. You’re still trying to convince visitors (and haters) that the Cuyahoga River is no longer flammable.
Tullio Saba/Flickr
The Cuyahoga River is not flammable anymore, and fires were (once upon a time) seen as an inevitable side effect of pollution in the Rust Belt. Fortunately, our highly publicized final river fire sparked international environmental change and improvement.
20. You’re still trying to convince yourself that Ohio really is the best state ever in spite of its craziness.
sunsets_for_you/Flickr
And, deep down, you know that people from Ohio are the best.

What else do you know to be true about people from Ohio? Tell us in the comments!

Ohioans have a right to be proud of their state… there’s so much to love about this magnificent place!

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people from Ohio

Nikki Rhoades | August 16, 2020

How has Ohio changed over the years?

Since its founding in 1803, Ohio has changed significantly over the years. Circa 1810, the state was home to a quarter of a million residents. Today, it has nearly 12 million residents.

What is Ohio known for?

Ohio is known for its agriculture, stunning landscape, Amish population, and ethnic food like pierogies and schnitzel.

Where should I go to take photos of Ohio?

If you're looking for places to take landscape photos, our many parks are sure to delight. Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a treat all year round, and county park districts like the Cleveland Metroparks are full of surprises.

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