Massapequa. It's the town we love to hate. The town that we swear we will leave one day. Nestled nicely in the south shore, Massapequa has its fair share of positives and negatives, but it's the place we call home. Every so often you may find yourself in the heated "my town is the best" argument with other non-Massapequa residents. But they just don't get it, do they? Our town is the best, no matter how much we complain about it. How do you know you're a true Chief? You know all of these are true:

1. There is no diner better than the Massapequa Diner.

How many weekends do you find yourself in a booth at the Massapequa Diner at 2 a.m. with some mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers? We all had minor heart attacks when we thought our favorite diner was closed forever (there was a fire), but really there were just some (amazing) renovations being done. This is the best diner across Long Island (and the world).

2. Burns Park was your Saturday night before you started going to parties.

Weekends were spent at Burns in middle school and high school. It didn't matter if you were playing a game of basketball, or just walking around the fields, that was your spot almost every weekend, especially in the summertime.

3. Farmingdale is to Massapequa as the Cowboys are to the Giants.

Our biggest rivalry in sports, and always incredibly exciting games. Rivalries like this are what makes school sports so much fun.

4. Your night out ends at McGorey's nine times out of 10.

You just got off the train from RVC, Babylon or the City, and you aren't quite ready to go home yet. McGorey's it is! This place is usually a high school reunion, so enter at your own risk. But it's a great place to escape the cold and grab another cheap beer or two.

5. You either loved or hated high school.

I fall into the group of people who loved high school. I have some great memories from good ol' MHS, and I wouldn't change it for anything, but there are many, many MHS alum's out there who would like to forget that this place even exists.

6. You played a sport at one point or another in your life.

Soccer, Lacrosse, Football, Basketball, Baseball...the list can go on and on. Massapequa is known for its sports and whether you played when you were five years old or were on a varsity team, you played a sport.

7. You were either in the Burns Park crowd, or the Marjorie Post Park crowd.

Piggy-backing off number two, there were, in fact, two groups of people in high school. You either hung out at Burns, or you hung out at Post. Which group were you in?

8. Seven to nine ice skating session at Post was where all the cool kids went.

You were never caught dead at the four to six session unless you were in elementary school. Cheese fries also ruled the world.

9. Summer Rec was your first job.

And you were heartbroken if you didn't get a position at your elementary school. Some days felt like absolute slave work, but others were some of the best days of your life. All in all, Summer Rec gave you some of the most amazing memories.

10. When it was too cold for the park, you hung out at the mall.

Sunrise Mall to be more exact. It was the only mall your mom would drive you to before you could drive yourself to Roosevelt Field. Did we ever actually buy anything when we went there? Probably not.

11. All American is known for being the best, and you know that's 100 percent true.

It isn't famous for nothing. It's the place you have to go to before you go back to college, and the place you always wanted to go to for lunch in high school. There is nothing better than a quarter pounder with cheese, fries and a shake. My mouth is watering just typing that.

12. Ralph's > Rita's

The start of summer means the opening of Ralph's Italian Ices. There are many naysayers out there who would like to tell you Rita's is better than Ralph's, but we know that is completely untrue.

13. Jumping off the high dive at Marjorie Post Pools was on your bucket list.

Before they got rid of the high dive (RIP), that was the highlight of your summer at the pool. Working up the courage to take the plummet off the high dive meant you had the utmost courage and could pretty much conquer anything at that point in your life.

14. You can't walk into a deli without seeing at least one person you know.

God bless you if you're in a rush and you bump into your mom's friend and they corner you and start chatting away. You don't want to be rude, but at the same time you're thinking "b*tch, I got things to do!" It's very rare that you don't see someone you know while in the deli or even a supermarket in this town.

15. Unless you're from Massapequa, don't you DARE call it Pequa.

It's the unofficial nickname of our town, but only native Massapequan's are allowed to say it. If you aren't from Massapequa and you call it Pequa, you just look dumb. Save yourself.

16. There are no better sandwiches than the ones at Sal's.

Get your hands on an Alex, Happy John or Massapequa Reuben and try and tell me that Sal's doesn't have the greatest sandwiches on the island. I'll wait.

17. Krisch's has the greatest ice cream sundae's.

This gem hidden just off Broadway is a gem. It's the best place to get not only your ice cream fix, but their breakfast and burgers are the bomb dot com. If you haven't been there yet, what are you doing with your life?

18. You don't go to the beach unless you stop at the deli for bagels and sandwich's first.

Because who wants to spend an arm and a leg at the concession stand at Tobay? Also, those chicken fingers may be bomb, but nothing beats a Long Island bagel.

19. People think you're crazy when you explain to them the number of schools you went to.

Elementary school is K-6, Berner (Middle School) 7th and 8th, Ames 9th grade, MHS 10th-12th. Confusing, yes, believe me, we know.

20. When you leave, you actually find yourself missing Massapequa.

Shocking, yes, but it's true. If you're part of the group that ends up getting out of our sheltered town for a few years, or forever, there is a part of you that actually misses it. Once a Chief, always a Chief, am I right?