Contrary to prior knowledge, the center of Pennsylvania is not all Pennsyltucky. There is a small portion of the keystone state known as Central PA, and it is unique in its own right.
Not quite Pittsburgh and completely different from Philadelphia, this central point of the greater Harrisburg area has a unique culture all its own. And when you step out of this region, it is evident it shapes you in weird ways.
1. Neato is part of your soul.
All day, any day if you texted someone "neato run?" there is a 99.9 percent chance they will say yes.
And we all remember when Chipotle started infiltrating and put a huge divide between Neato people and Chipotle people. (For the record, Neato always wins)
2. Monday after Thanksgiving.
It took me until I moved to another state for college that nowhere else in the entire civilized world do students get off of school for the first day of deer season. Not that I'm complaining, people just thought I was insane.
3. You are unfazed by low-key seeing Amish people at random places.
Like that one time, I was at the Sunglass Hut and saw an Amish family. Why? I thought you hated capitalism?
You've also gotten to the point where you can easily distinguish Mennonites and Amish apart because of all the times your parents took you to the farmers' market.
4. Sheetz is your ride or die.
The endless options, slurpees, milkshakes, not to mention an amazing loyalty program.
Except when you would go late at night and seeing those people meeting up to race and just questions their motives for a Tuesday at 1 a.m.
5. Living in a real neighborhood, but driving five minutes down the road and being at farms/woods/mountains.
At least it made hiking really convenient? Although if you move somewhere else and try to explain this, people just think you're some sort of mountain dweller.
6. Everything is an antique store, farmers' market, or flea market.
Is it an old barn? Antique store. Old warehouse? Antique Store. Very large, nondescript building? Farmers' market. Random open field? Flea market every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting, of course.
In the defense of these institutions, you can find some really cool stuff.
7. Coming back home from an out of state college and remembering alcohol can't be bought at gas stations and a variety of other sketchy places.
Rather, it is controlled by the state's ~fine wine and spirits~ stores.
8. When non-central Pennsylvanians ask if you can smell chocolate from your house.
Sometimes, there are stupid questions.
9. A lot of your friends have probably worked for Hershey's too.
And you spent many summer days growing up running around the park, going to concerts, and secretly hating the tourists.
10. Getting ready for football games was an ~affair~.
Who knows? What if there was a theme? What if it was a huge game? This was the big social outing of the week, people.
11. Middle school skate dances
HAHAHAHHAHAHA, I can't even write this without cracking up. The secondhand embarrassment of skate dances. The drama, love, and passion that went down during these pivotal moments in our adolescence.
12. Coming home from college and seeing everyone you've ever known.
Somehow you manage to see everyone you went to school with except your actual friends because there are about 0.02 places people like to hang out.
No matter what, Central PA was, and still is a great place to grow up! With all the complaining we do about it when you leave you realize how great it actually is.
No matter how much we all try to act like we hate Central PA and its quirks we're still gonna come home for the Farm Show milkshakes.
Just thinking about it makes me emotional.
So just admit it, you love Central PA, and it loves you too.
