1. You can down Old Bay like it's nobody's business.
No lie, I put Old Bay on everything, and if you're from the eastern shore, chances are you do, too. I'll come out and say it, Old Bay is the love of my life (I may have brought a can to college with me...). Popcorn, chicken, crabs, chips, fries, shrimp — it makes everything taste better. If you tell someone from the eastern shore that you've never had Old Bay, brace yourself because they're about to whip out their extra can and make it rain.
2. You gasp when people say they’ve never been to Wawa.
Wawa is an eastern shore legend. I'm serious, people will fight you if you diss Wawa (That's the other thing about people from the eastern shore...we have a lot of pride in where we're from). People often try to compare the grandeur of Wawa to Sheetz or Royal Farms, but to no avail. Chances are, you're from the eastern shore if you know your Wawa order by heart (mine is a Vanilla Diet Coke, jalapeño pretzel, and sour patch kids).
3. You own a ridiculous number of flip flops.
Look, I don't know where they come from, I don't know why or how, but my house is overflowing with flip flops. I swear every time I go to grab a pair of shoes to run errands or head to lunch, I see at least five new pair of flip flops. My family isn't full of hoarders; I think we just have a deep love for flip flops. I mean, who doesn't?! A sure sign you're from the eastern shore is if you're still rocking flip flops well into November...you just can't seem to let go.
4. Ocean City is your version of The Hamptons.
OK, I might be a bit biased on this one (considering Ocean City is my beloved home), but I swear if you ask anyone on the eastern shore where they vacation, 90 percent of them will say good old Ocean City, Maryland. We may jokingly call it Ocean Sh*tty, but we do it out of love for the miles of open beach, boardwalk, fried food, ice cream cones, crazy amusement rides and the world's best french fries (aka — Thrashers French Fries).
5. You know at least five people who drive a pick up truck.
The eastern shore is full of woods, farmland, marshes, and forests. And, with all that land, inevitably come pick-up trucks. At my high school, the whole back side of the student parking lot is dedicated to pick-up trucks only and is accurately named "Redneck Row." On the eastern shore, people are always mudding, hunting, or fishing, all the time relying on their trusty, rusty pick-ups.
6. #BayBridgeTweet
I'm not really sure how this phenomenon began, but tweeting the hashtag #baybridgetweet has become this customary thing we do on the eastern shore each time we go over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. I don't understand it, I can't explain it; it just happened one day. If you think I'm kidding, go type #baybridgetweet into your Twitter search bar. Just do it.
7. You might be a bit of a crab snob.
A sure sign you're from the eastern shore is if you immediately have beef with anyone who says they don't like blue crab. If you say you don't like crabs to a person from the eastern shore, they literally will not understand. It's beyond our comprehension. We can sit and eat a bushel of crabs, no problem. To us, crabs aren't a meal, they're a social event. Blue crab is the best, and trust me, people from the eastern shore will definitely make sure you know that.
8. You’re used to driving your morning commute past miles of farmland.
Having a daily walk or drive to work and school without the familiar soybean and corn fields is definitely weird for someone from the eastern shore. Call me crazy, but here's something about driving through farmland that makes me happy. Yes the drive can be boring, but back roads surrounded by fields mean you can speed all you want!
9. “Are you going to Firefly?!”
OK, so I'm a bit of a hypocrite because I did go to Firefly, but still. On the eastern shore, Firefly is our version of the Olympics. It's a huge deal. If you don't know what Firefly is, it's a musical festival in the middle of the woods in Delaware that draws in 30,000 - 40,000 people each year. People prepare outfits weeks in advance, stock up on polaroid film and cover themselves head to toe in body paint and flash tattoos; nobody can seem to talk about anything else all summer.
10. To you, Natty Boh is the nectar of the gods.
People on the eastern shore can't get enough Natty Boh. If you ask me, I don't think it's because they love the taste, I think they have so much eastern shore pride that they guzzle the stuff down like it's going out of stock. Regardless, Natty Boh is our life source. Cheers!
11. You flip out when someone brings up the Colts.
We are still not over the betrayal of the Colts moving to Indianapolis. Just mention it to anyone from the eastern shore and stand back to watch the rage explode. Too soon, man.
12. Lax= Life
On the eastern shore, lacrosse is really equivalent to life. Not only are high schools full of football jocks, but lacrosse jock, too. It's competitive, high-energy, and a widely loved sport. You're not a fan? Try explaining why to someone from the eastern shore...good luck.
13. You LIVE for Orioles games.
Who doesn't love baseball? However, if you tend to take that love to a whole new level, you're probably from the eastern shore. Oriole pride runs in our blood. We can't wait to break out our orange face paint and scream "O!" during the national anthem at games.
14. You're not a fan of fancy food.
Listen, we are not fancy people. You can have your kale smoothies and quinoa cauliflower "burgers," we just want good food. We'll take home-cooked comfort meals over fine dining, pricey, health-conscious salads, and fancy steakhouses any day. Give us a plate of steamed crabs, corn on the cob, and, you guessed it, Old Bay, and we're all set!
15. The beach has always been, and always will be your happy place.
Home is where the beach is.
