As a college student, people constantly ask you where your hometown is. When I answer that question, I am lucky enough to be able to say Springfield Township, Pennsylvania. It's a tiny town with a population just under 20,000. Being away from Springfield while you're at school is hard sometimes; you miss your high school friends, your regular trips to Mr. P's, and fooling around at Valley Green. But when summer comes, Springfield definitely gets real old, real fast, and you can't wait until next semester. If you're anything like me, then you'll totally understand these 21 signs that you grew up in Springfield.
1) The debate over "Hillcrest" vs. "Cisco Park" will literally. Never. End
And it will get heated very, very quickly.
2) You are an expert at spelling and pronunciation.
Growing up in places like Erdenheim, Wyndmoor, and Flourtown, you were a confused little child. Nothing is ever spelled the way it sounds (five-year-old me had a hard time accepting that it wasn't, in fact, Flowertown).
3) When people confuse you with Springfield, Delco, you get irrationally peeved.
We're better than them, and we always have been, and we always will be, dammit!
4) You've either played ball with, eaten with, or worked for one of the Halligans at some point.
They're all over the place. Good thing they're some of the nicest people you'll meet! And their food is top-notch. Joe, if you're reading this, mail me a cheesesteak.
5) You've gotten pulled over on Haws Lane.
6) When people ask where you're from, you automatically respond, "Just outside Philly."
It's just so much easier than "Wyndmoor," which nobody has heard of, then "Springfield Township," which nobody has heard of, then "Montgomery County," which is too big and vague, and also which many people have, you guessed it, never heard of. Side note: lots of people don't even know what a township is. Apparently PA is one of the few places that uses them. Huh.
7) You know that the only place to get a good cheesesteak in town was Cisco's.
And you kissed the moose proudly. *sheds a tear for days gone by*
8) When the Movie Tavern opened, you were more excited than a little kid on Christmas.
Something to do in Springfield on any given Friday? Well this is a first.
9) You graduated from Springfield High School....
With a graduating class of like 30 other people. Alright maybe it was like a hundred. But still, you knew everyone's name and likely knew their mom, too.
10) ...and while you were there, you tore the place up.
11) There are two types of people in this town: FELL people or OWLL people.
And they do not get along. What with the hats, t-shirts, and bumper stickers, each type wears their symbol with a little too much pride. And you can't help but feel a little nostalgic whenever you see their logos.
12) Community day was the best day ever.
Races, moon bounces, slides, and all that free stuff that your mom just threw away later on... finally, something exciting was happening!
13) Block parties are Springfield's version of house parties.
The kids play together and parents don't have to watch them, nobody has to drive, the alcohol is flowing, and someone always busts out an extension cord and karaoke machine. The one night a year where the whole block is out together, having a nice time, and nobody is complaining about Sue-Ann's dog that poops all over the neighborhood. Life is good.
14) You weren't cool if you didn't go to the Holy Martyrs Carnival.
The source of all drama in the middle-school world, the Holy Martyrs Carnival was the be-all, end-all of the social scene. If you didn't go, then you missed out on the main source of drama for the whole year.
15) A school field trip consisted of your teacher making up an excuse to take everyone to the Art Museum.
Or, if you were really lucky, you got to go to the Franklin Institute and ride the air bike and run through the giant heart!
16) On snow days, you were the first one at Hillcrest, and if you were a little more adventurous, Penn Manor.
By the end of the day the hills are so worn down you can see the grass under the snow!
17) You constantly begged your parents to drive you down Candy Cane Lane at Christmas time.
Usually Garth Road is just a boring little street in Oreland, and should be avoided since Maria Krywucki lives there. But at Christmas, the street transforms into the most beautiful display of holiday cheer you can imagine. The holidays wouldn't be complete without a slow drive through the stunning light show.
18) You could never get away with anything.
Your mom would hear it from so-and-so's mom, who heard it from the guy at the grocery store, who heard it from blah blah blah blah blah. It's a regular soap opera, but not the kind you wanna watch.
19) Wawa runs are a part of your daily routine.
Everyone lives within a five minute drive of the Wawa. After work, for lunch, or just because you're bored, you'll usually find yourself in front of that deli screen at some point in your day. And you regret nothing.
20) While you're home on summer/winter break, you go right back to being bored out of your mind....
NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE!
21) But no matter how dull Springfield is, you're always a little bit relieved to be back home.
Springfield=Love.
