Being one of those people who says they are from "right outside of Philly," (with "right outside" meaning 45 minutes), I like to think I have some claim to being a Philadelphian. Although I don't live in the city, living in a nearby suburb still comes with all of the quirks and perks of the city of brotherly love. There are certain things that only people from the Philly area will get and some things that we simply "LOVE" talking about or doing. So, my fellow Philadelphians, sit down with your Wawa hoagie and let's discuss all of the things we, as citizens of this historic city, can't get enough of.
1. Slang and mispronounced words.
I didn't really realize until I went to college away from home that people from the Philly area say some very weird things. Slang and terms that other people just don't use, like youse guys, jawn, ard, water ice, hoagie, etc. Other words we just blatantly pronounce differently than the rest of the world: beggel (bagel), tal (towel), jeet (did you eat?), wooder (water) and the list goes on.
2. Wawa.
I mentioned it in the intro and I'm mentioning it again because it's just that important. Wawa only exists in Pennsylvania, New Jerse, and parts of Delaware, which makes it pretty unique if you ask me. If you're from central or western Pennsylvania, you probably are a Sheetz fan, but Wawa is simply better. The hoagies, the mac and cheese, the coffee...everything is so good and makes Wawa somewhat of a haven. To us, it is so much more than a convenience store; it is the best place ever.
3. Talking about movies or shows set in Philly.
If you're from Philly and you don't regularly talk about "Rocky," then you may not actually be from here. Same goes for "Silver Linings Playbook" (and Bradley Cooper as our Philly suburb claim to fame), "The Sixth Sense" and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
4. Philly sports.
I'm not even a sports fan but this one is a no-brainer. Philadelphia sports fans are notorious for being die-hard, regardless of the sport or how the team is actually doing. The Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and 76ers all draw in massive crowds of passionate fans, and every man, woman and child knows the Eagles chant by heart. Personally, I wouldn't mess with a Philly sports fan. Some may call us the worst fans in sports, but we really just love to show our Philly pride.
5. Going to the shore.
Whether it's Margate, Longport, Avalon, Long Beach Island or any of the other shore towns, no Philadelphian can deny their love for the shore. It's not just the beach; the Jersey shore is where many of us spent our childhood summers, and there is nothing like going to the beach during the day and spending the night on the boardwalk with ice cream and caramel corn in hand. Even though some think it's odd that we drive up to two hours to go to the shore, we all know it's worth it.
