At Ramapo, a majority of students come from the good-ole state of New Jersey. When talking to other New Jerseyians, there is one crucial question that must be asked: Are you from North Jersey or South Jersey?
Even though we are one state, there are some significant differences between the two regions. One major one is the never-ending debate on whether that delicious breakfast meat is called Taylor Ham or pork roll (Taylor Ham, of course). North and South Jersey are also divided by sports teams, whether you root for New York teams or Philly teams (New York, no question at all). However, even though we usually divide the state into two regions, there is that fabled third region called “Central Jersey.”
According to an article on NJ.com, Central Jersey contains the counties of Middlesex, Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, Union and Ocean counties. Does such a place really exist?
Being from Essex County, I consider anything south of Union, Somerset and Hunterdon counties to be South Jersey, and I do not believe Central Jersey exists. To get a better perspective, I asked students around campus from different counties two questions: “What do you consider North and South Jersey?” And “do you think Central Jersey Exists?"
To start my experiment, I talked with Sussex County (the northernmost part of New Jersey) native Devan Swistack, a senior at Ramapo:
“North Jersey ends at Warren and Morris Counties and South Jersey starts at Monmouth and Mercer counties.”
When asked about Central Jersey, she said, “I believe Central Jersey exists. Anything between Morris and Monmouth counties is Central.”
1-0 for Central Jersey.
Next, I spoke with Meghan Trewhella, a fellow Essex County student.
“I think North Jersey ends at Middlesex County and South Jersey begins at Mercer and Monmouth Counties,” she stated. “I also don’t believe Central Jersey exists, it’s just a made-up region.”
1-1, tied for/against Central Jersey.I then talked to Andrew Ramos, a sophomore from Middlesex County and a firm believer in Central Jersey.
“100 percent yes. Central Jersey exists,” he said. “Burlington, Ocean and every county below are south while Warren, Essex and Morris and any county north of them is North Jersey. Anything in between them is central.”
2-1 for Central Jersey.
Pete Kellner, a senior and citizen of Ocean County, was my next interviewee.
“Being in Ocean, I’ve been labeled south and central, mainly south because I’m on the south side of the county,” he said. “But I'd say Central Jersey does exist because of the way this state is divided with how people are. I also believe anything below Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties is South Jersey.”
3-1 for Central Jersey.
The last person I talked to was Chelsea Duerstock, a junior at Ramapo from Gloucester County. She had never even heard of Central Jersey until she came to Ramapo.
“I never heard of Central Jersey until I started school here. I only heard about it because a couple of my friends here said they’re from there,” she said. “I think anything north of Burlington and Ocean Counties to be North Jersey and anything south of Middlsex and Mercer counties to be South Jersey.”
3-2 for Central Jersey.
So if majority rules, then Central Jersey is in fact a region. Also, people believe that North Jersey consists of Warren, Morris and Essex Counties and anything below Ocean and Middlesex is considered South Jersey. Even though the state may be divided, we still will always represent a United New Jersey for as long as we live. Oh, and we never have to pump our own gas.
