After spending eighteen years of my life on Long Island, I never thought that going to college only an hour and a half away to New Jersey could be so different. From what I heard, we have accents that are relatively similar, and Jersey has pizza and bagels that are not as good as New York, but are decent enough. I thought that it would feel just like home. While I will not say that the movement has been a complete culture shock, I can comment that - after almost two years in Jersey - that there are some inconsistencies that I still do not fully understand.

1. Is Central Jersey real?

Imagine me: a freshman sitting alone at orientation while the same general questions flew around the room: What's your name? What's your major? Where are you from? Since majority of my college is from Jersey, it came to narrowing down regions, meaning North Jersey, South Jersey, or Central Jersey. Simple, right? Or, rather, it would be if the state would gather together to decide if there is a Central Jersey, as some claim, or if it's just a myth. Coming from an outsider, I'm still confused.

2. Taylor Ham or Pork Roll?

What I always assumed was simply called a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich everywhere is apparently another major debate depending on where you are from in Jersey. From what I've learned, there is a brand of pork roll that is called Taylor, and no one can decide what to call it. I think it would just make sense to call it ham, settle the matter entirely, and enjoy your breakfast sandwich, but the population of Jersey tends to differ.

3. Wawa or Quick Chek?

Another one of New Jersey's debates is between convenience stores. Everyone seems to like both, and it seems to be an adventure to go to either store, but everyone has a preference. My question: where's the nearest 7/11?

4. Anyone who says New Jersey beaches are the best clearly has never been to Long Island.

First of all, you can be at a beach within a thirty minute drive wherever on Long Island you are, and for a state that loves convenience stores, what could be better? When I heard that people have to drive hours just to go to the beach, I was floored.

5. People from New Jersey always complain about Jersey traffic...

Coming from Long Island, I know the trials and tribulations with bad traffic. But everyone loves to recount each and every horrible driver they encountered and each road that is under construction as if it was climbing Mount Everest.

6. ... and deny that there can be worse traffic anywhere else.

Going off the last point, I get that Jersey traffic is bad. But you cannot claim to compare sitting on the Throgs Neck Bridge, the LIE, or the Cross Bronx to the NJTP. Good luck moving an inch when everyone wants to go to the same place and the construction crews have been working the same patch of road for twenty years, nonstop.

7. The bagels are not the same quality.

Sorry, Jersey. I'll grant you points for effort, but the bagels here cannot stack up to the bagels I grew up with. Of course, I think they are the best you could get outside of New York, but you simply do not have the same water, and it does make a difference.

8. Long Island has better pizza, too.

Out of everything I've encountered in New Jersey that I've had the most confusion about, it's wondering how the pizza could ever be the same. It's good pizza, truly, but it's not the best. You have not lived until you've gone to your local pizza place around the block and experienced the delicious sauce, crisp crust, and greasy cheese.

9. Pumping gas?

One of the first times my mom came to pick me up from school, she said that she had been yelled at by a man at the gas station because she got out to try and pump her own gas. Did you know that Jersey is the last state where it is illegal to pump your own gas? Why is that?

10. Apparently there are county fairs?

From where I'm from, a county fair always seemed to be a distant events that happens elsewhere, probably in Texas in Montana. I've been to fairs in upstate New York, but I was baffled the first time that I heard that Jersey has county fairs and alpaca farms.

11. Jersey is great, but Long Island is still the best.

While New Jersey is not Long Island by any means, I will say that I didn't expect to enjoy my time here as much as I do. Thank you, Jersey, for taking me in, but I'll always be loyal to Long Island.