If you constantly have to clarify that just because you live in New York doesn't mean you reside in one of the boroughs, welcome to the club of upstate New Yorkers. It's constantly debated where "upstate" begins. Some argue Poughkeepsie is considered upstate. For others, particularly those like myself who grew up further north than the Adirondack park, there's a solid horizontal line running from Buffalo over to the Vermont border that separates Upstate and Downstate. But regardless of what your definition is, there are some things that we can all relate to.

1. There's never a shortage of lakes to play in.

It doesn't matter if you like sea-dooing at Chateaugay Lake, boating at Lake Champlain, or ice fishing at Conesus Lake. There's a huge assortment of lakes and rivers in upstate New York and a bunch of different activities to choose from.

2. In the summer, you'll never run out of stuff to do.

Between hiking, biking, swimming, camping and state fairs, there's always something to do. If you hike all 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks, you become an Adirondack 46er.

3. Winter sports are our specialty.

The Adirondacks are typically used for more than just hiking. They're home to countless ski resorts including Gore and the world-famous Whiteface (Which is why no matter where you go in the Adks, you'll always see at least one black and white bumper sticker saying, "SKI THE FACE.") You'll also see a wide web of snowmobiling trails and some cross country skiing.

4. We don't hesitate to brag about hosting TWO Olympic Games.

Lake Placid is a staple in American hockey history. It is the home to the Miracle on Ice, where the American hockey team took down the best in the world-- the Soviets. Every child growing up in the area is taught the story.

5. We're a backbone in American history.

Major battles from two different American wars were fought in the Adirondacks. In the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold (when he was on our side), led troops to the Battle of Valcour Island, which is nestled right up near Plattsburgh. In the War of 1812, the Battle of Plattsburgh marked the final invasion from British troops in northern states.

6. We're home to some of the best maple syrup in the country.

I guess I might be just a bit biased, but the maple syrup produced here is delicious!

7. Canadian lingo tends to sneak it's way into our vocabulary

Obviously, "eh?" slips into our vocab from time to time, but so do terms such as "double double", "giv'n'r", "toque", "toboggan", and "washrooms". Apparently, these aren't recognized terms in all of the states.

8. Our diets tend to be heavy with Canadian food.

Come on-- if you don't like Michigan and poutine, are you even from upstate New York? If you don't put ketchup and mustard on your burgers, you might be considered weird. Don't even get me started on french fries with mayonnaise and vinegar.

9. Our change usually consists of a mix of Canadian and American coins.

Don't worry though-- those pennies are all ours.

10. If you live in the Adirondack park, good luck finding a steady cell phone service.

Not being able to text your friends when you got home was such a real struggle. If you were lucky enough to live where you got a solid service, you better thank your lucky stars.

11. Always wearing winter coats and toques on Halloween.

I know at least in my case, I always had to choose costumes based on if I could wear a turtle neck sweater under it and if it would look too dorky with a hat. Dresses, or skirts? Out of the question-- unless you wanted to wear jeans under it.

12. Our region has world renowned beauty.

People come to upstate NY to relax and spend their free time. Maybe that means we really do have it lucky living in such a beautiful region.