Those who are not from Long Island think it is simply one big town that is pretty much the same throughout. Although there are similarities that exist amongst the people across the island, it is totally separated into regions that are very distinct from one another. Long Island is 118 miles long and 23 miles wide with a population of 7.7 million people; obviously, it is not just “one town.”
1. You have THE accent
You “wawlk" the walk and you tawlk the talk. You live in “New Yawk" and you drink water with your “cawffee."
2. 7th grade was “Bat Mitzvah year”
Every weekend consisted of one, two or even three bat mitzvahs. One of them was probably yours, and it was the best night of your life thus far. I bet you still watch your montage when the family comes over for a holiday dinner.
3. You know every word to every Billy Joel song
“Are you gonna cruise the miracle mile?” Better known as the Americana these days… I mean, come on, he’s one of us. I bet you also have an “I saw Billy Joel at…” story. We've all seen him somewhere.
4. You went to sleep away camp
Anyone that's not from Long Island, the tristate area, Chicago or maybe California or Florida, you have never heard of such a thing as "sleep away camp." Specifically, if you're not from Long Island or the tristate area, you most likely call it "overnight camp." Whether it was Timberlake, Tyler Hill or Pontiac, you spent ten summers there, and your iChat profile consisted of your camp’s zip code and “you see numbers, I see home.”
5. You have a favorite deli
Everyone who works there knows who you are and your “usual” order, an order you literally crave. You’re at the deli every morning before school and after a big night out. You love everything from their iced coffees to their bagels and can get absolutely anything you want on a sandwich.
6. You’ve participated in Jewish geography at least once
Of all 7.7 million Long Islanders, everyone knows someone who knows someone else who went to camp with the someone’s friend’s cousin and met the cousin’s friend at the camp friend’s Bat Mitzvah.
7. As much grief as you've gotten for growing up in Long Island, you wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else
There is something homey about knowing “everyone,” even though it sometimes feels like we live in a bubble. There is something so much more delicious about our pizza, bagels and coffee than anyone else’s.
