Growing up in Central Jersey (yes, it exists) made me long to get out of the Garden State after college. I planned to move anywhere. Maybe Pennsylvania so it would be far away and close enough at the same time. My brother had moved to Virginia. Maybe I would go there. Or maybe Delaware, where my sister had moved to. But my thoughts have changed.

Sure, there's a lot to hate about New Jersey, but there are plenty of reasons to stay here even though the annoying jughandles, the jellyfish at the shore, the cost of living here, some of the highest taxes in the country, the rudest drivers, and every stereotype ever.

Trust me though, there are plenty of good reasons (even if they are small). Here are 15 reasons why I will never leave New Jersey.

1. We see all four seasons

Sure, the winter of 2018 hit us with four noreasters. But I love it anyway. In New Jersey, we get fall, winter, spring, and summer, as well as plenty of activities to do in each season. We get to experience apple picking on a cool day, sledding and snowboarding down a hill in our backyards, bike around blooming flowers, and go to the beach on any average hot day.

2. All types of terrain

Yes, we do have mountains. North Jersey has the mountains and highlands, South Jersey has the beaches, and central has the Pine Barrens. We have it all: fertile farmlands, beautiful rivers and waterfalls, beaches, and luscious forests. Hike in the mountains, spend a day at the beach, or explore the woods!

3. The Jersey Shore and boardwalks

No, not the TV show. The actual Jersey Shore is beautiful. We have beaches, beaches, and more beaches, many with different boardwalks close by or directly connected to the beach. We have big boardwalks like Wildwood, Seaside, Ocean City, or small ones like Point Pleasant and Keansburg. Many even have small amusement parks.

Many beaches are free until memorial day, and many more have a decent pricing on season passes. Unlike a majority of the country, our beaches can be right in our backyard, a short 15-minute drive, or an hour away instead of crossing into a whole other state to see the ocean. I can grab my swimsuit and in 20 minutes be in the Atlantic Ocean. I can't do that most places.

4. Big cities are just a short drive away

You can get all the benefits of the city without actually living in one. Depending on where you are, New York and Philly can be only an hour away. Here in Jersey, we can take day trips whenever we want to New York, one of the greatest cities in the world, for sometimes $20. Having cities so close by means we're able to experience these cities to the fullest before returning home. Not to mention, it takes only four hours or less to get to Washington D.C. or Boston as well.

SEE ALSO: 20 Things That Happen When A Jersey Person Leaves Jersey

5. State parks

We have state park after state park after state park... and a majority are free or low cost. We have the Historic Village at Allaire that has remained around since the 19th century and the Monmouth Battlefield State Park that preserves the historical battlefield on which the Battle of Monmouth took place during the American Revolutionary War. We have Liberty State Park with a ferry service to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. History not really your thing? That's fine, there are over 30 state parks and state forests you can explore.

6. We are Jersey fresh

We aren't called the Garden State for nothin'. Our lands are fertile, our farmers are hard at work, and I can go down the street to a small farmer's stand to pick out some of the best tomatoes and corn for the summer. We grow a wide variety of apples, have more than 50 wineries, and a major producer of blueberries, cranberries, and peaches — all fresh and only miles away.

7. Atlantic City

With casinos, high-end shopping, wide beaches, and an iconic boardwalk, Atlantic City is where everyone spends a day at least once in the summer. Not only are there plenty of casinos to gamble in, but the beaches are free and there are four stories of shopping that can be done. If that's not your thing, there's also the Steel Pier amusement park and Ripley's Believe It or Not museum right on the boardwalk. Still not for you? Don't worry. There's plenty of concerts, too.

Plus, Monopoly's spaces are based on the streets of Atlantic City. Cool, huh?

8. Six Flags Great Adventure

What's better than an amusement park? Try adding Hurricane Habor, a water park, and an awesome Safari. Six Flags Great Adventure is one of the largest parks in the world with rides for both children and thrill-seeking adults. Not only do we have rides like El Toro, Nitro, and multiple D.C. themed rides like Bizarro and Batman, but we also have Kingda Ka, the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world. No to mention, Zumanjaro is the highest drop in the world as well.

Other than the awesome water park and safari ride, they also have live concerts and special events. Six Flags Great Adventure has something for almost every part of the year like Freight Fest for Halloween and Holiday in the Park for Christmas.

9. Shopping malls

Shopping comes in all kinds of ways. Farmers markets, flea markets, outlets, and dozens of malls are spread throughout the state. No matter where you want to go or how much you want to spend, you'll find something close by. From the Freehold Raceway Mall to the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, to the Collingwood Auction and Flea Market in Farmingdale, you're bound to buy something.

Plus, there's no retail tax on clothing or shoes here.

10. Great places to eat

Soft served ice cream, the best pizza you'll find, the best bagels, and diners make up New Jersey. Our New York style pizza is actually better than New York's and you'll find delicious pizza places all over the place, especially on our boardwalks. We have the most diners, salt water taffy, sloppy joe's, juicy tomatoes, fresh seafood, and disco fries, just to name a few. Not to mention, we started the whole fat sandwich cuisine at Rutgers University with our grease trucks. If you haven't had a Fat Cat, you have no idea what you're missing.

11. Porkroll!

No, it's not Taylor ham. It's not Canadian Bacon. It's pork roll and it's amazing. It's great for breakfast, great for lunch, great for dinner. Porkroll is so amazing that we even have yearly festivals now and our local baseball team, the BlueClaws, holds a Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese Race at the end of the fourth inning of every home game. That's how amazing pork roll is.

12. Wawa

Those who say America runs on Dunkin' have clearly never been to a Wawa. Wawa's coffee is to die for, especially when Pumpkin Spices season comes around. There's a gas station at almost every Wawa and a place you need to stop at, even if you don't need gas. Their hoagies are amazing and their breakfast sizzles just hit the spot in the morning. Everything is prepared to be hot and fresh, they're open 24/7, there aren't any surcharges to use their ATM (though banks disagree so watch out), and even their Wawa brand drinks are amazing, whether its iced tea or chocolate milk.

13. The prices

Yeah, we have high taxes, but this also contributes to our low gas prices: 7% below the national average to be precise. The average monthly utility bill in New Jersey is also slightly cheaper than most states, at 7% below the national average. And our grocery stores may not have alcohol on the shelves, but we still get a decent price on groceries.

14. We don't pump our own gas

Yeah, we're basically the only state that doesn't pump our own gas. But guess what? When it's freezing, snowing, or pouring rain, we don't have to get out of the car. Not to mention, we're hiring people and creating jobs.

15. Rutgers

I'm not just saying this because I go here. New Jersey has some of the best schools in the nation, like Princeton. But Rutgers University is where it's at. Rutgers has been around longer than America and is one of the oldest colleges in America. Rutgers enrolls more than 60,000 students across five campuses, is full of diversity, has delicious food at any hour of the night, has hundreds of majors to choose from, and has very notable alumni. Plus, football is cool, but college football is way better. Rutgers is in The Big Ten. But it's not just football. All of our sports teams have the best of the best. Not only is it good for the students, but around town as well, with an average 39,000 fans per game. We're better than Penn state, full of enthusiasm, and represent college football at its finest (Yes, even with our recent downfalls).

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So instead of moving out of state, I think I'll stay here on the banks of the Old Raritan and the beaches of The Jersey Shore. Because, who wouldn't want to live here?