Overall, we Nebraskans are pretty proud of our state identity. We’re all individuals, but we have a lot of things in common – and these are some of our collective habits that we’ll defend to no end. People in other places might think they’re strange, but to us they’re just part of life.

1. Talking to strangers.
flickr/Chip Griffin
Trust us - this habit isn't exclusive to Nebraska, but it certainly doesn't happen everywhere. We're proud to be friendly, and we'll keep on being friendly no matter what.
2. Packing shorts and a heavy coat for in-state vacations.
flickr/Angela
...Or even for day trips. We've been caught too many times in a surprise snowstorm or heat wave to be silly enough to go out unprepared again. Even if that means packing for every possible scenario.
3. Spending entire spring days hunting for these little beauties.
flickr/Richard Steih
Morel hunting is one of Nebraska's great pastimes. These tasty morsels are only in season for a tragically short time every spring, so we have to make the most of that time and devote whole days to hunting for them. Bonus habit: we'll defend the secret locations of our best morel hunting spots to the death.
4. Driving fast - really fast.
flickr/Tristan Bowersox
You know how we're always saying that Nebraska isn't all flat and boring? Well, it kind of is when you're on I-80. And when there's nothing to see in any direction, it's pretty easy to catch the number on your your speedometer creeping higher and higher.
5. Spending all summer on the lake or river.
flickr/Katrina J Houdek
We may be the nation's only triple-landlocked state, but we Nebraskans sure do love spending time on the water. Luckily we've got tons of lakes and miles of rivers to keep us busy in the warmer months.
6. Drinking our beer red.
flickr/Sheila's
It's pretty simple: beer + tomato juice = delicious. It's weird that the rest of the world hasn't caught on.
7. Helping whoever needs it.
flickr/MJI Photos
To us, it's not a big deal to pull over and help someone on the side of the highway. Or to give a neighbor a hand mowing their lawn. Or any other little thing that we see someone struggling with. It's Midwestern politeness at its best.
8. Talking fondly, and often, about our home state.
flickr/Rich
If you don't think this is a thing, just look through the comments on our older articles. There are people who moved away 50 years ago who still talk about how wonderful a place this is. Once a Nebraskan, always a Nebraskan.
9. Yelling at random people wearing red.
flickr/UNL Today
In a good way, of course! If someone is out wearing their Huskers shirt, they should expect to hear "GO BIG RED!" at least a few times.
10. Going outside to experience the storm instead of hiding from it inside.
flickr/RLEVANS
We're not afraid of a thunderstorm. Or even a tornado...as long as it stays far enough away. Most of us are savvy enough to know when it's time to go inside.
11. Being kind of obsessed with steak.
flickr/Shelby Bell
We'll drive MILES to get a really good one. People plan road trips around visits to favorite steakhouses. We're pretty serious about our beef.
12. The "farmer wave."
flickr/dornorozeto
This is one of those fun habits that we'll never apologize for. Why would we? Waving at strangers is one of the best parts of being a Nebraskan.
13. Our chosen term for this stuff.
flickr/Mike Mozart
The state is eternally divided over what to call this, with some of us preferring "pop" and some preferring "soda." One thing we can all agree on, though, is that you never call all of it "coke" because that's just wrong. We're looking at you, Southerners.

Like a lot of things, these habits aren’t exclusive to Nebraskans – but they sure are a big part of our collective Nebraska experience. What are some other habits Nebraskans will defend to the death? Add to the list by leaving a comment!

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