Throughout my twenty years of life, I have always said if you do not like Staten Island, then leave. There is no point in complaining about the place in which you reside if you can easily change it, or become more positive about it. If you search "Staten Island" on Twitter, Google, or Facebook, there is ALWAYS something negative to say way more than positive. If you currently can't find any reasons to kind of like this great hometown, I'll help you out.
1. Ralph's Ices.
You already know this HAD to be number one. If you've never been to Denino's for dinner and Ralph's for dessert, you should really leave this place. Ralph's is open in the summer and the summer only, so it is TORTURE for Staten Island residents in the other three seasons. With hundreds of different flavors, Ralph's is the place for you. The girls who work there are so nice! The one on the North Shore is often called, "The Real Ralph's" while the other ones are called, "The Fake Ralph's" even though it all tastes the same. (I am extremely guilty of this). Even though it has limited parking, you know you'll wait as long as you can for a spot.
2. We're one free ferry ride away from the city.
Oh, the Staten Island Ferry, a name Angelina from the TV show, Jersey Shore, was called for a reason I cannot mention here. Anyways, the ferry is free and even though it's full of crazy ass people, it is definitely secured by cops, so you feel safe riding it anyways. You also get a beautiful view of the Statue of Liberty on the way to NYC. I will never get how the ferry fully stops when it just bumps into a damn wall and hopes for the best.
3. The pizza.
If I ever left Staten Island, this would be the #1 thing that I would miss. We are known for our pizza and I definitely know why. I still don't understand why there's no 24/7 pizza places here, it makes absolutely no sense and it hurts my feelings. There are hundreds of pizzeria's on the island and you'll be sure to find a slice (or five) that you love.
4. There's no more Staten Island dump!
Remember when our nickname was the 'Staten Island Dump'? I do! Fortunately, we can no longer be called that because it's GONE. PEACE OUT GARBAGE.
5. Royal Crown.
I don't think I even have to explain this one. You get it.
6. The Staten Island Yankees.
When people on the island say there's absolutely nothing to do here, I automatically think of a SI Yankee game. These are so fun for the family, friends, or even just a date! If you don't feel like commuting to a real Yankee game, go to these games, I promise.
7. The diner food is ON POINT.
Diner food is LIT. Especially after a night of drinking, it tastes like God made the food. There's an infinite amount of diners on the island so it shouldn't be too hard finding one you like.
8. Almost everybody has an animal in their household.
No matter where you go, an animal is sure to catch your eye.
9. Movies and television shows have been filmed here.
Many TV shows and movies have filmed here due to it being cheaper, and us having great scenery that can be used. FOX's 'Gotham' films here basically once a month in their filming season. The movie 'Nerve' starring Dave Franco & Emma Roberts was filmed all over, in Fort Wadsworth and the Colonnade Diner, just to name a few places. 'Law & Order: SVU' films here as well! And for some reason James Franco is always here to film a random thing.
10. Historic Richmondtown.
You probably know of this place from school trips in elementary school. Also, great for Pokemon! Richmondtown teaches you about the colonial era in Staten Island and it's a great experience.
11. The Staten Island Zoo.
The zoo is so fun to go to, and free on Wednesdays! You get to see some awesome animals and hang with them while you have fun.
12. Golf courses.
If you're ever itching to go golfing, SI has one near your house.
13. Great hospitals and doctors.
There are great hospitals and doctors in Staten Island, and tons of doctor's offices. Pavlides, Benson & Shats OBGYN is a great doctor's office in case you're looking for one! (This is me trying to advertise where I work) :)
14. WE HAVE PARKING.
Unlike Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan WE HAVE PARKING. This is a plus in every single way.
15. Everyone is related in some way.
You will always find people in Staten Island who are unexpectedly related. So, be careful of who you talk bad about, because you may be talking to that person's family member. (It's happened to me!)
16. The hilarious North Shore vs. South Shore rivalry.
There are four shores in SI, and for some reason the North & South Shore are the shores that have a "rivalry." Me being a north shore girl, I have lived through this rivalry all of my life. It happens in sports, social events, and on social media especially. It's actually really funny.
17. Great high schools.
The high schools in SI are amazing and definitely safe places for the students. I would recommend any of them to anyone looking for a good high school.
18. Even better colleges.
We have three colleges in SI: The CUNY College of Staten Island, Wagner College & Saint John's University. All three give their students the best education possible and are also safe havens for their students.
19. The Staten Island Advance.
The Advance has a dear place in my heart (maybe because my dad worked there). It was founded in 1886 and has been updating us on everything happening in the island since then. Although, newspapers are going down in popularity in the last ten years, their online presence is very informative.
20. We survived Hurricane Sandy.
2012's Hurricane Sandy hit us extremely hard. Although it was upsetting to see the aftermath, it really brought us all together as a community and it was really encouraging to see how helpful our SI citizens were to each other.
21. Bagels.
I almost forgot to put our beautiful bagels, that's why it's at the end of this article, my bad. I don't even have to explain why our bagels are so good, they just ARE!
