10 Things Only People From Washington DC Understand

1. Everyone In D.C. Wants To Change The World

Almost everyone in DC came here with a very specific purpose of shaking things up and keeping the world moving. Everyone’s got big plans and bigger opinions on the way things are and how they should be, and they’re not shy about expressing them. They were the kids in the National Honor Society and on the debate team. They argued politics even with the kids who didn’t know what they were talking about. And as adults, they’re exactly the same. And they still know every song from “Schoolhouse Rock.”

2. Washington DC Folks Vote Yes On The U Street Taco

When you’re in the District, you work hard. So it only stands to reason that you’re going to need some quality fuel to keep you going. That might get taken a little too seriously, though, because the food in DC is completely out of control. Probably the biggest offender is what is known as the U Street Taco (taco not included). It’s an enormous chili dog wrapped in a jumbo slice of pizza from Ben’s Chili Bowl. Locals might give it one shot, just to say that they did. What they will try over and over is lots of cupcakes from Baked & Wired and mumbo sauce. Oh, and brunch! Every weekend, no matter what is going on.

3. Everyone In DC Knows Their Quadrants...Or Else

Northwest is the area most people think of when they picture DC. Northeast makes up most of Capitol Hill. Southwest is mostly the waterfront, and the Southeast never gets noted for the little things like the Library of Congress and the Eastern Market. Street names and numbering systems begin at the Capitol, which leads to a ton of seemingly identical addresses. If you’re looking for 900 K street SE without knowing what quadrant you’re in, it’s easy to end up on 900 K street NE. North and South are numbered, and West and East are lettered. Driving is a job in its own right around here and getting lost happens to everyone, regardless of how long they’ve lived here.

4. Congress Is As Much A Mystery To The People Of DC As It Is To Everyone Else

No one understands Congress. Not the people who live here. Not the people who work here. It’s highly probable that Congress doesn’t understand Congress. Just because someone lives in DC doesn’t mean they’re a member of Congress. It also doesn’t mean that they’re a lawyer or a lobbyist, although those are the common conceptions. So you can stop dumping all your Congress hate on everyone in DC as if they’re responsible for it. They’re probably even angrier about it than you are.

5. Washington DC Folks Are Always Rubbing Shoulders With Major VIPs

Suits everywhere, as far as the eye can see. When people come to DC with big ideas, they quickly realize they're not the only one. The District is full of people just like them – people who wanted to make change or just wanted to run the show. But what they’ll also quickly learn is that this isn’t Little League anymore. Many of the people that they’ll encounter on a daily basis are already ten steps ahead of them. It’s intimidating. But it’s also great because they're always challenged, on their toes, and pushed to grow.

6. Everyone In DC Knows The Tourist Struggle Is Real

This isn’t a tirade against tourists. The people in DC are pretty welcoming to tourists and newcomers. After all, they were all probably tourists and newcomers before, too. But everyone is also working and trying to get through their daily schedules at the same time. So, there are a few guidelines you should follow:

• When it comes to the metro escalators, stand to the right, single-file, walk to the left. Always.
• If someone accidentally bumps into you because you were walking at a snail’s pace or standing on the left side of the escalator, don’t ask “where’s the fire, buddy?”
• Those ridiculous “You Don’t Know Me” (Witness Protection) shirts are not funny. No one wants to be mean to a tourist, but if someone wears one of these after being warned, they brought it on themselves.
• If someone says they’re going to competitive karaoke tonight, don’t laugh. It’s serious.

7. Looking Professional Doesn’t Mean DC Folks Are Frumpy

If all you know about DC is what you see on C-SPAN, then it’s understandable why you might think people aren't concerned with their appearance here. But the truth is the people here put as much effort into their appearance as anyone from any other city does. You’ve got a melting pot of everyone in all fields including editors, lawyers, museum curators, software engineers, HR reps, food servers, web developers and so on, and they all dress the part. For the most part, sure, they keep it practical, but shut up about everyone looking dull and drab, because they’re over it.

8. DC Folks Love Their City Even Though It's Under The Radar

DC might be the country’s capital, but that’s all it ever gets seen as. To outsiders, it’s the place where everybody goes to work, but where nobody actually lives. It’s true that most of the people who do live here just come for work, but people do live here and even if it’s not their hometown, they have a lot of love for this place. Don’t believe me? When an app that allowed people to order pizza from their phones recently launched, hungry patrons tried to search DC only to get an error message saying DC isn’t a state—sending residents into a fit of Twitter rage.

9. DC Locals Know The Only Thing Worse Than Congress Is New York City

New York City. It’s like that co-worker that does half of the work you do and yet gets all of the credit and attention. Sure, the people in DC have inflated egos, but at least they’re trying to do something to back them up. While everyone in NYC is obsessed with what’s trending, the people here in DC are getting stuff done. Plus NYC is responsible for the Yankees, who are literally the worst. As long as people keep thinking NYC is better, they’ll leave DC to the ones who actually know what they’ve got—like free admission to museums and culture. The only free thing in NYC is that funky smell.

10. Celebrities For People In DC Are Just A Little Different Than Everywhere Else

If you know anyone who lives in Los Angeles or Manhattan, it’s not very uncommon for them to constantly update their news feed with celebrity sightings. There are a lot of those in DC, too—that is, if your definition of “celebrity” is a bunch of politicians and the occasional journalist. While their friends are tweeting a Mary Kate Olsen sighting in BoHo, DC folks are gushing over the fact that they were standing in line at Starbucks behind David Gregory, got a table next to Andrew Sullivan in one of his crazy shirts, or finally found Henry Waxman. Feature Image Source: Yelp user Rebecca R. Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think is unique about Washington DC in the comments below!