When I meet someone new and I tell them I'm from New Jersey, I always get comments like "There's nothing to do here," "Ew," and even "So when are you moving?" Along with this, I always get asked why I decided to stay in-state to go to college. Well people, I happen to think New Jersey is awesome, and there are just some things I can't let go of.
1. Two words: pork roll
Forget sausage and bacon, a pork roll, egg, and cheese on a bagel is by far the best breakfast meal you can ever have. If you're from New Jersey, there is no doubt you've been a part of the "pork roll or Taylor Ham" debate (and for the record, it's pork roll, Taylor Ham is the brand). As a native from New Jersey who goes crazy over pork roll, one of the first things I ask people from out of state is if they've ever heard of it, and the answer is always no. If you're one of these people and have no clue what I'm talking about, don't feel bad. New Jersey prides itself on being one of the only states to have this savory breakfast meat; if you have yet to try it, I recommend going to the nearest deli as soon as possible.
2. We get the best of all worlds
When I meet people from different states, one of the first things I always get asked is "Is it always cold here?" Luckily, that answer is no. One of the things I love about New Jersey is how we have all four seasons (although sometimes Mother Nature goes a little wild and decides to make it snow in March). Whether you're moving to New Jersey or coming here for college, I definitely recommend having a wardrobe full of clothes for winter, spring, summer, and autumn. If you're coming here just to visit, I would highly suggest doing some research on appropriate attire for the season and checking the weather forecast in advance, because it can be sunny and 60 degrees one day, and be snowing and 20 degrees the next. Jersey always keeps us on our toes, and that's just more thing to love about it.
3. We are the home of "The Jersey Shore"
Yeah that's right, we're the creators of "Gym, Tan, Laundry." For years the infamous MTV reality phenomenon "The Jersey Shore," filmed in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, has given the state a reputation of everyone being loud, obnoxious, and full of drama. I am happy to say that most people from Jersey are not like this, although it's not uncommon that you encounter just a few people like this (and no, not all of us are a bunch of reckless "guidos"). Aside from the show, New Jersey does have beautiful beaches where I spend most of my summers. The coastline is 130 miles long spanning from Sandy Hook to Cape May, so no matter what part of Jersey you are in, you're just a hop, skip, and jump away from relaxation.
Close to NYC, without the struggles of living there.
No matter where you are from, I can assure you that you'll want to go to New York City at least once in your lifetime. New York is known for being the "concrete jungle where dreams are made of," and it doesn't get this title for nothing. It's the home of the largest central business district in the world, beautiful decorations during Christmas time, and ginormous versions of almost any store you can think of. One of the downfalls of this is that getting to the city can be quite the hassle. To brighten the mood, what is so amazing about New Jersey is it's only a bus or train ride away, taking only 30 minutes to get from the South Orange Transit station to Penn Station. Living in Jersey gives people the perks of being able to get into the city at any time, without having to deal with that annoying city traffic.
5. "Jersey girls don't pump gas"
This phrase is seen on bumper stickers, mugs, key chains, and t-shirts in all parts of New Jersey. Although it may sound like a joke, it's true, people in Jersey don't have to pump their own gas. It may seem crazy, but I do appreciate the luxury of sitting in my car, getting my tank filled, and getting right back on the road, especially when it's 10 degrees outside. I can brag about this to all of my friends now, but I know if I ever drive out of state and need to get gas, I will be that stupid girl taking forever trying to figure out how fill their tank. Nevertheless, this small detail is just another thing I love about living in New Jersey.
The list of things that makes New Jersey so awesome is endless, I can talk about it for days. I can guarantee you that no matter where you're from, it's always a fun time coming to Jersey and experiencing all it has to offer. We're a lot different from other states, but there are so many things I find myself falling more and more in love with everyday.
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