14 Years a Native
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1/24/2014
Bloomington-Normal as a city is full of resturants and movie theaters. The downtown bar scene is dominated by ISU, IWU, and HCC students. The colleges can have some fun plays and art exhibits but they hardly advertise off campus. If you want culture and alternative entertainment, you really have to look for it or go to Chicago (3 hours north) or Springfield (1 hour south). which isn;t hard to do with the train station in Normal next to campus. We do have a roller derby team that plays spring and summer. I've been several times and it's actually a very family friendly environment with people bringing everyone from infants to granparents. All procedes to to local charitys.
The people are pretty neutral; not outwardly hostile, but also not going out of their way to be chummy. It is primarily Republican and the first question out of peoples mouths when you meet is "What church do you go to?" You'll find pockets of Democrats if you're vocal enough, but it's kind of a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" situation when it comes to politics.
State Farm is so engrained in the culture that many teens have their first job or internship here. Jobs are moving out of IL to AZ and TX, so if that's your final destination, SF is a decent way to get there.
The wind off the prarie can be killer in the winter, causing negative wind chill. The humidity in summer is suffocating. Only fall and spring are really enjoyable.
In conclusion; It's an average town with average people.
J | Bloomington, IL