If you haven’t lived in the Buckeye State your whole life, then you know that moving here can be quite the adjustment.

Life in Ohio is different from life in other states. There are things you just do (and things you definitely don’t do.) There are things you need to know and there are survival skills you’re just going to have to develop if you intend on surviving a March blizzard or having any friends during football season. The following are 21 things you quickly learn when you move to Ohio.

  1. There are no designated seasons here.

Erik Drost/Flickr Stop trying to understand it and just accept it. Life isn’t fair.

  1. It’s going to take awhile before you can successfully pronounce the name of your hometown.

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr That’s OK, though. It will come to you. Eventually.

  1. If it can be decorated, it needs to be Ohio-themed.

Hey Paul Studios/Flickr Clothes, pillows, bags—you name it and we’ve likely got our state name and/or shape on it. We’re proud. <3

  1. Buffalo Wild Wings has more than one name.

Mike Mozart/Flickr Shout out to BW3’s, B-Dubs, etc. We like variety.

  1. Skyline Chili isn’t for everyone.

tyle_r/Flickr (Probably because it just wasn’t made for everyone.)

  1. You shouldn’t put your patio furniture out until mid-May.

Thomas Lillis IV/Flickr You know, just to be safe.

  1. You should cherish the small town life.

Mike/Flickr Because when or if you leave, you WILL miss it.

  1. That state up north shall never be named.

Brandon King/Flickr Never. Under any circumstances.

  1. Don’t let the snow stop you from getting to where you need to be.

Chiot’s Run/Flickr …just be sure to drive with some common sense.

  1. DO be prepared for snow anytime, anywhere.

Tach_RedGold&Green/Flickr Rookie mistake. NEVER leave home without a snow-brush and ice-scraper. It doesn’t matter if it’s April.

  1. Never, ever order a “soda.”

Christian Stangler/Flickr Come on. If you do this, you’re just asking for the rest of us to exclude you.

  1. Always, always respond with an “I-O” when you hear an “O-H.”

Katrina Cole/Flickr If you stay silent, you’re heartless.

  1. Rural scenery really IS underrated.

Mike/Flickr That’s not a cliche.

  1. Lake Erie is enough for a beach day fix.

Mark K./Flickr Lake Erie is our own special sort of ocean here. <3

  1. You will never escape the construction.

Doug Kerr/Flickr Ever. Stop wondering when that highway stretch of orange barrels will end. It won’t.

  1. Be on guard.

memcruch.com If you make it out of one massive pothole alive, you’ll just hit another one. Don’t feel so accomplished.

  1. Consequently, balance and rotate your tires more often than the average U.S. citizen.

830/Flickr It’s a necessary way of life here in Ohio and there’s no way of getting around it. (Or the potholes. HA.)

  1. And don’t underestimate the deer.

Photo Credit They have a death wish.

  1. Just because something is spelled a certain way, it doesn’t mean you HAVE to pronounce it that way.

Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr FYI: It’s “Meijer’s,” “Kroger’s” and “JC Penney’s” here.

  1. Ohioans and Ohioans only are allowed to make fun of Ohio.

Tim Dorr/Flcikr Anyone else who does so is just plain mean.

  1. Ohio really isn’t boring at all. <3

Cathy/Flickr (Only the people who claim it is are.)

What other things do you quickly learn when you move to Ohio? For more helpful advice, here are 12 Surefire Ways To Always Spot A Tourist In Ohio.

Erik Drost/Flickr

Stop trying to understand it and just accept it. Life isn’t fair.

Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr

That’s OK, though. It will come to you. Eventually.

Hey Paul Studios/Flickr

Clothes, pillows, bags—you name it and we’ve likely got our state name and/or shape on it. We’re proud. <3

Mike Mozart/Flickr

Shout out to BW3’s, B-Dubs, etc. We like variety.

tyle_r/Flickr

(Probably because it just wasn’t made for everyone.)

Thomas Lillis IV/Flickr

You know, just to be safe.

Mike/Flickr

Because when or if you leave, you WILL miss it.

Brandon King/Flickr

Never. Under any circumstances.

Chiot’s Run/Flickr

…just be sure to drive with some common sense.

Tach_RedGold&Green/Flickr

Rookie mistake. NEVER leave home without a snow-brush and ice-scraper. It doesn’t matter if it’s April.

Christian Stangler/Flickr

Come on. If you do this, you’re just asking for the rest of us to exclude you.

Katrina Cole/Flickr

If you stay silent, you’re heartless.

That’s not a cliche.

Mark K./Flickr

Lake Erie is our own special sort of ocean here. <3

Doug Kerr/Flickr

Ever. Stop wondering when that highway stretch of orange barrels will end. It won’t.

memcruch.com

If you make it out of one massive pothole alive, you’ll just hit another one. Don’t feel so accomplished.

830/Flickr

It’s a necessary way of life here in Ohio and there’s no way of getting around it. (Or the potholes. HA.)

Photo Credit

They have a death wish.

Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr

FYI: It’s “Meijer’s,” “Kroger’s” and “JC Penney’s” here.

Tim Dorr/Flcikr

Anyone else who does so is just plain mean.

Cathy/Flickr

(Only the people who claim it is are.)

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