Dirty Jersey, the touching and semi-accurate name out-of-staters have dubbed our teeny tiny state. Growing up in Bergen County, there's always this pull between being a suburbanite or semi-New Yorker — even if our bagels are better. Here are 20 signs you grew up in the most populated county of New Joisey.
1. Your best teenage memories took place at the mall.
This is especially true if you grew up in Paramus (heyo, Spartans), home to five — let that sink in, five — malls. As soon as you turned 13, bam. There you and your friends were, walking around in Abercrombie and Hollister thinking you were the coolest things Paramus Park had ever seen.
2. Sunday's/Blue laws.
Nuff said.
3. Middle school was marked by the reign of Uggs, Dooney and Burke bags and Juicy sweatpants.
4. Summer means Van Dyk's.
Out of a tiny off-road building in Ridgewood comes the homemade deliciousness that is a Van Dyk's ice cream cone, especially with creative flavors like Cheesecake Crunch, Peppermint Stick and Black Raspberry Chip.
5. Route 17 on Saturday nights.
6. You can't see a movie without stopping by the puppies.
I'm not sure who had the idea to put Fashionable Puppies next to the AMC, but they're my hero.
7. You've seen at least one celebrity at GSP.
KStew, Chris Rock, Ice-T, Macklemore, Joe Wright.
8. At least one person you know talks like a Soprano.
9. You know you can't have a social life without a car.
10. At least half of your graduating class goes to Montclair, WillyP, Ramapo, TCNJ, Rutgers or BCC.
11. Your diet is composed of bagels, pizza and Chinese food.
12. You were forced to play soccer at some point in your life.
13. You have a strong opinion on Chris Christie.
14. You don't know how to pump your own gas.
15. You've been to the Meadowlands Fair at least once (but probably more).
16. Nothing will ever measure up to Kingda Ka.
You probably rode it when it was still the tallest and fastest coaster in the world.
17. Pizza outside of Jersey or Manhattan is not pizza.
It's "bread" with cheese and sauce.
18. You're secretly proud of every movie that takes place in Jersey.
Hello, "Clerks."
19. You remember the days of punk, goth and scene.
Oh how we miss the pink streaks.
20. You know every famous person from Jersey (yes, there are people other than Sinatra, Bon Jovi and Springsteen).
Hello, George R. R. Martin, Meryl Streep, Martha Stewart, John Travolta, Gerard Way (throwback, I know), Akon, Tom Cruise, Anne Hathaway, The Jonas Bros. and, hey, even Spielberg for a time.
Think of other unique parts of growing up on the precipice of the City That Never Sleeps? Leave them below!
