1. No One Realizes South Jersey Is A Place
If you’re talking to anyone outside of the state, New Jersey is just one, tiny state on the East Coast. They just don’t get it.
2. People Tend To Lump All Of Jersey Together
Despite New Jersey having several different areas, one of which is South Jersey, no one outside of the state recognizes the cultural differences between each region. Even just mentioning that some Jerseyans are 76ers fans will make their head spin.
3. The Rest Of The Country Makes Fun Of Jersey
For some reason, people love to hate on New Jersey, most recently due to the television show “Jersey Shore.” Expect a few worn-out slams every time you mention your home state around new people.
4. People Will Probably Mention “Taylor Ham”
If there’s one food item that New Jersey is known for, it’s the pork roll. While this dish tends to get lumped with the Taylor brand in North Jersey, as a South Jerseyan, you’ll quickly correct everyone that calls a “pork roll” by the wrong name.
5. No One Else Will Share Your Fear Of The Jersey Devil
Known for stalking the Pine Barrens, people outside of South Jersey will never have a truly understand the terror that this regional version of the Boogeyman brings.
6. Get Ready For Some Snooki Jokes
With the stars of Jersey Shore casting a whole new light on the state, people you meet while traveling far from home will have learned everything they know about the Garden State from this show.
They’ll be shocked when they discover you’re not following a strict gym, tan, laundry regiment.
7. You’ll Miss The REAL Jersey Shore
While the rest of the country thinks that the Jersey Shore is filled with fake tans and obscene amounts of hair product , you’ll know those misconceptions are far from the truth. You’re sure to long for more days at the beach when you leave this state.
8. No Late Night Food Tops Diner Cuisine
When it comes to finding a great meal after last call, there’s no better place to get it than a South Jersey diner. With perfect recreations of all the best American foods, nothing is a better call when it comes to preventing your hangover.
9. Your Accent Might Surprise People
Because the “Joisey” accent tends to be overly-exaggerated in the media, people you meet will be surprised when you sound pretty much like they do with the exception of a few words.
10. You Should Probably Learn How To Pump Gas
Pumping gas might be illegal in New Jersey, but in most states people will think you’re crazy if you expect someone else to fill up your car.
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11. People Might Find Your Obsession With The Boss A Bit Odd
While every Jerseyan is well aware that Bruce Springsteen hails from Long Branch and they love him for it, outsiders won’t care quite so much. Your hometown hero will just be a musician with a few hits to them.
12. Everyone Will Assume You’re A Gambling Pro
Thanks to your close proximity to Atlantic City, everyone will want to bring you along for their next trip to Vegas. If only they knew how few times you’ve actually made the trip to the casino capital of the East Coast.
13. It’s Not Always A Hoagie
While South Jerseyans proudly call these huge, meat-filled sandwiches “hoagies,” they go by different names around the rest of the country. Expect them to be called subs, heroes, and grinders most of the time.
14. The Eagles Tend To Get A Lot Of Hate
For some reason, football fans around the country love to give the Philadelphia Eagles a hard time. Expect it to cause a little friction when new friends realize you’re sporting green, silver, and black on game day.
15. People Assume Jersey Is One Big Metropolis
Despite not even being in the same state as NYC, out-of-towners tend to think that New Jersey is basically just an extension of New York City. While this is slightly truer for towns farther North, Southern Jersey bears very little resemblance to the Big Apple.
16. It Might Be A Long Drive For Your Wawa Fix
Unfortunately, that Wawa coffee you’ve become addicted can’t be found just everywhere in the country. You might have to settle for Dunkin’.
17. It’s Assumed You’re A Mob Boss (Or At Least That You Know One)
Another stereotype that tends to be hard for a travelling Jerseyan to shake, most Americans assume that mob culture is still very alive and visible in the Garden State. Hopefully, it won’t take your new friends too long after meeting you to realize that this is ridiculous.
18. Good Blueberries Will Be Hard To Find
One thing that South Jersey does better than anywhere else, you’ll never find blueberries as sweet as they are in the Garden State. You might even have to start trying to grow your own.
19. You’ll Miss Lucy
Built in 1881 standing 6 stories tall, few things will make you more homesick than thinking of Lucy the Elephant. Overlooking the shoreline, thinking of her is sure to take you back to all of those relaxing days you’ve spent at the beach through the years.
20. Not Everyone Celebrates Mischief Night
Not complete without a few eggs and some toilet paper used in unsavory ways, New Jersey is the only state in the country that celebrates Mischief Night. If you’re a homeowner who has been hit by pranksters before, this will be one of the very few perks of saying goodbye.
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21. Driving Won’t Be So Frustrating
Once you’ve gotten used to driving in Jersey, you’ll be able to drive anywhere relatively stress free. Overcrowding on the roads and the refusal to use turn signals is enough to make anyone driving in the Garden State go mad.
22. But Not Everyone Follows The Left Lane Rule
One perk of driving in New Jersey is that people are pretty religious when it comes to following the “left lane, fast lane” rule. Very rarely will you get stuck behind someone slow when there are multiple lanes. Don’t expect the same convenience elsewhere.
23. At Least You Can Say Goodbye To Jughandles
Known for making left-hand turns even more difficult, jughandles are one thing about Jersey you won’t miss if you leave.
24. Fresh Produce Won’t Be Up To Your Standards
It’s called the Garden State for a reason. With so many local farms delivering the freshest produce possible to consumers, even farmers markets elsewhere might be a letdown.
25. Talking About The Tweeter Center Will Get You Strange Looks
The name may have been officially changed to the Susquehanna Bank Center, but that won’t change what people actually call it. If you’re talking about this awesome concert venue and use it’s “Tweeter Center” nickname, expect other people to think you’re talking about social media.
26. You’ll Miss Being So Close To Everything
Another perk of living in New Jersey is that it’s in a great part of the country. Smashed between huge cities like New York City and Philadelphia, without losing its natural landscapes and shorelines, Jerseyans have everything they want at their fingertips.
27. A MAC Machine Is Just A Computer Elsewhere
Short for “Money Access Center”, anywhere else you are in the country just called these money machines “ATMs.”
28. People Will Assume You Love New York
If you ask most Americans why people live in New Jersey, they’ll probably respond with something along the lines of it being a cheaper alternative to Manhattan.
Most would be surprised to hear that being so close to New York City isn’t really that big of a deal in South Jersey. The people there are perfectly happy spending all of their time in their own state.
29. You’ll Never Find A Bagel Quite Like Those At Home
There’s a good chance that growing up with New Jersey bagels has ruined all other bagels for you. You’ll never find one that has the same perfect texture and flavor that you find in the Garden State.
30. You’ll Miss Jersey More Than You Thought You Would
New Jersey might get ripped on by the rest of the country, but once you live there, you understand what’s so special about it. Home to delicious food, beautiful beaches, and plenty of awesome people, no other place will quite compare.
What do you miss about South Jersey? Tell us in the comments below!
