Yeah, Hoosier is a toughie to explain. I usually just tell folks it's a throwback to farm days when folks would ask 'Who's yer neighbor?' or somesuch question. Honestly, I don't think anyone really knows the definitive history, so one guess is as good as another. Lol!
I've been through Bloomington a couple times, but never had the chance to really visit. The IU campus I'm familiar with is in my hometown, Ft. Wayne. Big school... ;~D
Yes, it definitely is. I tried looking it up before but I just tell people it's just a term for someone from Indiana. Hehe
Bloomington at it's heart is a college town. There's a bit more to it than that but it's mainly driven by the campus at its center. I actually haven't been to Fort Wayne since it's more or less around 2 hours northeast of Indianapolis.