1. You’ve Been To Every Diner In North Jersey
As everyone in North Jersey knows, one of the greatest things about living in The Garden State is, without a doubt, all the amazing diners here. But with over 600 diners in the state New Jersey, you know you’ve been in the state too long when you can name all of them in your half of the state.
2. You’ve Stopped Being Enraged When People Call Taylor Ham A Pork Roll
It used to bug you that people of South Jersey insisted on calling your favorite treat a “pork roll,” You even used to correct them. But after years of trying to sell them on the name “Taylor Ham,” you’ve discovered the Southerners are just too stubborn. You’ve given up and decided to just enjoy your sandwich, it will always be Taylor Ham to you. Red flag alert!
3. Deer Have Totaled Several Of Your Cars
With over 200,000 white-tail deer in the state of New Jersey, it’s no surprise these animals are your car’s greatest nemesis. With larger ones weighing in at several hundred pounds, colliding with one of these will definitely put a damper on your day. By the third or fourth time, you’ve got to wonder if it’s time to pack up and leave.
4. You’ve Woken Up Lost In Atlantic City More Than Once
One time is reasonable, expected even. After all, everyone has that great night they’ll quickly learn to regret in the morning. However, if it’s happened two or more times, that’s a sign and it reads: Do yourself and your wallet a favor by staying on the top side of the state’s dividing line.
5. You’ve Become An Unrepentant Bagels Elitist
Slowly, but surely, North Jersey turns everyone into a bagel snob, after all the state serves up some of the best breakfast in the world. But if you’re stranded in a foreign state and would rather starve yourself than try the local early morning cuisine, you might have spent too much time in the Garden State.
6. You Now Drive Hours Out Of Your Way To Dodge Tolls On Principle
If you know every single back road that can get you into New York without paying tolls and are willing to drive the extra miles in gas to do so, it may be time to leave Jersey for good. That or finally go and grab an E-Z Pass, it’ll save you money in the long run.
7. You Could Lead Your Own Sopranos Tour
It’s been years since the show ended, but that doesn’t make the hotspots any less loved by North Jersey folk. If you find yourself pointing out the same ten Sopranos spots to everyone that visits you as you drive through town, it might be time to just buckle down and buy your own tour bus to share your wealth of knowledge with the rest of the world. You’d be surprised how many tourists want to see the giant Muffler Man or the house at 14 Aspen Drive in North Caldwell.
8. You’ve Given Up On Explaining Where The “Jersey Shore” Cast Is Actually From
By this point, every New Jerseyan is sick and tired of explaining to out-of-towners that Snooki isn’t from New Jersey, in fact none of the cast of “Jersey Shore” was. Real people of New Jersey don’t walk around with spiked hair, excessively jacked, building the beat and following a GTL ritual. So, If you’ve given up on defending North Jersey’s honor, you’ve probably been in there too long.
9. You’ve Become A True Believer In The Jersey Devil
Growing up, you always found comfort telling yourself it wasn’t real, and even if it was real, it was a South Jersey thing. But slowly, as the evidence mounts, even you as a North Jerseyan will flinch when you see a shadow move across the light in the night. Just make sure your camera is always ready to grab some evidence next time the blood-curdling screeches fill the air and this monster comes out to play.
10. You’ve Actually Considered Living Somewhere Else
Sure Florida’s beaches are pretty, New York City is flashy, and California is where the stars are. But any true North Jerseyan knows none of those things even begin to compare with their home state. If you’ve started taking bagels, Wawa, going down the shore or even the Jersey Devil for granted, maybe you really have been here, too long.
Did we miss anything? Tell us how you can tell someone’s been in North Jersey too long in the comments below! 
