Kurt Vonnegut once said, “I don’t know what it is about Hoosiers, but wherever you go there is always a Hoosier doing something very important there.”

While we definitely agree with the great Vonnegut’s words of wisdom, you have to admit, there are some pretty particular habits that Hoosiers from Indianapolis are guilty of – and they’re impossible to unlearn.

1. We give directions by time, not distance.
Monoar Rahman/Pexels
We're great at navigating, but don't expect to hear how far you'll drive. Instead, we'll let you know exactly how long it'll take. We navigate by landmarks.
2. We end most late nights at White Castle.
Travis/Flickr
This 24-hour burger joint is the best place to top off a fun night out for cheap, greasy food that'll help ward off any hangover. Steak 'n Shake is another 24-hour option, but for most people in Indy, it's White Castle.
3. We can't help it - we hate the New England Patriots.
SABOTEUR/Flickr
You don't even have to be a huge football fan to know this. You don't even have to like the Indianapolis Colts. There's bad history between these teams and everyone has their own reasons, but it's just a given that if you're from Indy, you don't like the Patriots. It's in our blood.
4. We call it coke, not soda.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
While most of the state of Indiana refers to these fizzy, caffeinated drinks as "pop", here in Indy, we're more likely to call all soft drinks "coke." I've heard it called both "coke" and "pop", but coke is definitely more common. No soda here!
5. We say "tennis shoes," not "sneakers."
Richard Elzey/Flickr
You'll get a strange look from any true Indy Hoosier when you refer to your footwear as "sneakers." We know what you're saying, but we wish you would just call them by their rightful name: "tennis shoes."
6. We know summertime means living on the lake.
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What do you mean Indy has no access to water? Just because we don't have an ocean doesn't mean we don't have a ton of summer fun on the water! We basically live on the lake in the summertime, with Eagle Creek Reservoir being a particular favorite for people in this city.
7. We pluralize grocery story names.
Mike Kalasnik/Flickr
It's always "Krogers" or "Meijers." No matter your grocery store of choice, we tend to add an "s" onto the end of it, saying, "I'm going to run to Krogers" instead of "I'm going to run to Kroger." It's a Midwestern thing and it's super common in Indy.
8. We have high food standards.
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Indy is a bustling little food city and we've become quite spoiled by it. Not only do we have several world class restaurants right in our own backyard, we also have an incredible selection of restaurants to choose from, no matter what we're craving. Plus, with our access to farm fresh produce and meats, you better believe we expect our restaurants use the freshest ingredients available.
9. We never trust the weather forecast.
Serge Melki/Flickr
It's hard to take much stock into these predictions when we know that the whether in Indy does whatever it wants. 60 degrees and sunny? Great. Below freezing and snowy? Sure. Both in one day? Sounds like a typical day in Indy to me.
10. We fiercely love our hometown.
Spring Cruz/Flickr
It doesn't matter if we still live in Indy or if we're miles away - we know Indy is a special place and unlike any other. Indianapolis made us who we are and we're fiercely loyal to this little city because of that.

Be honest – how many of these Indianapolis habits are you guilty of? What others did we miss? Share your suggestions in the comments!

For more reasons to love our little city, check out these 10 reasons why Indy is clearly the most underrated city in America.

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