1. The Seasons
Yes, the weather here can suck and couldn't be less predictable (last week it was almost 80 degrees and yesterday it snowed...), but nowhere can compete with New England's beautiful seasons. Anyone who has seen Gilmore Girls knows that New England wouldn't be half as charming if it weren't for the stunning leaves... and the biting cold that forces people into coffee shops like Luke's. Don't believe me? Check out this foliage.
And even though I spend most of the winter months condemning it, I can't imagine not having snow. Seriously, what is winter without snow? To any New Englander who might be rolling their eyes at this: remember, without snow there would be no skiing, snowboarding, or, most importantly, snow days.
Also, our springs and summers are perfect. Unlike other parts of the country, it rarely gets too hot to go outside, which means we can spend all day every day doing pretty much doing whatever we want, AC or no AC.
2. The... Oldness?
I'm not entirely sure if oldness is even a real word, but if it is New England has it, especially the Boston area. This is something I took for granted for almost my whole life, but when I traveled the country looking at colleges I realized how lucky we are to live in such a historically beautiful area. We have churches, universities, and even park benches that have been around since the 17th century, which I'm fairly certain is earlier than California was even settled. Take that, West Coast.
Unfortunately, our historic roots also mean historic infrastructure. So, before being so quick to judge us for being crazy drivers, try getting to school or work on time when the tiny 3 lane highway you are on is completely backed up... and covered in potholes.
3. The Pride.
Although this is definitely augmented for me as I'm from the Boston area, there is no doubt that New Englanders are proud of where they come from. A lot of this comes from sports; we've got the Patriots, the Bruins, the Celtics, and the Red Sox all housed in one city (essentially)... it's not hard to understand why sports are such a big thing in Boston and by extension, the rest of New England.
Especially when you've got a quarterback like Tom Brady.
I recently learned that it is apparently just us who worship him like a god and that the rest of the country has anything but warm and fuzzy feelings for TB12. Also, I found out the hard way that when you leave the east coast no one cares about hockey and everyone would rather talk about basketball. Their loss on both accounts.
4. The Food
I'm not sure how much explaining is necessary here, but I've come to realize how spoiled I have been by the food here, especially the seafood. I can honestly say that ordering salmon while I was visiting the midwest was one of the worst decisions I have ever made, and I will leave it at that.
5. The Quirks
It's hard not to love the little things that make a New Englander instantly recognizable and that give certain degrees of truth to the stereotypes we are known for throughout the rest of the country. I will never forget the first time I went on a service trip with other students from across the US and Europe; I was the only person from New England, so every time I would mention "Dunks" no one knew what I was talking about whenever I said "wicked" everyone would laugh because they didn't believe that we actually say that.
A few of my friends recently hosted English exchange students, and even they knew enough about us to scream "f*ck Roger Goodell" at the top of their lungs.
Unfortunately, some of these stereotypes aren't as cute and funny. The crazy driving and road rage around here definitely isn't a joke, people aren't super friendly and chipper, and Boston accents aren't the most easy on the ears. That being said, I wouldn't change a thing; it's comforting to know that no matter where I go I will always have a place to come home to where everyone understands that rotaries are not called roundabouts, that sneakers and tennis shoes are two different things, that real clam chowder is not red, and that New England is simply the best place in the world.
