Like Bette Midler sings in Disney’s Oliver and Company, being perfect isn’t easy – neither is being from New Jersey. Life in the Garden State may be wonderful but, along with all the perks, there are a few downfalls. This list highlights a handful, some serious (see #1) and some silly (see #2).
- The cost of living is notoriously high.
Flickr/Jazz Guy If you can afford it, it’s definitely worth it, but, it is one of the most frequent complaints that you hear about the Garden State. You can practically afford a palace in Pennsylvania for what you might pay for a modest home in some parts of New Jersey.
- You get too accustomed to farm fresh fruits and veggies.
Flickr/seniwati When you’re used to the best, you don’t settle for less. That makes eating tomatoes and corn out-of-state very difficult.
- You get addicted to this goodness.
Wikimedia/Austin Murphy And, you can’t find it anywhere else. This delicacy is slowly starting to spread, though.
- You may become a pizza snob.
Flickr/Wally Gobetz I’m definitely guilty of this. The same is true of bagels - no other state holds a candle to New Jersey. I can’t pinpoint the differences, but I know bagels and pizza out-of-state just aren’t the same.
- Heck, we’re totally spoiled when it comes to food.
Flickr/Karen Green We’ve got such an incredible dining scene, from fast food favorites like White Manna to upscale eateries like Restaurant Latour. We’ve also got an extensive selection of ethnic cuisines from Ethiopian (check out Mesob in Montclair) to Portuguese (Newark does it best). Not to mention, we can grab a great meal any time of day or night. Being the diner capital of the world, we’re used to having our favorite foods at our fingertips whenever we want. Traveling out-of-state often means settling for McDonalds at two a.m..
- Traffic can be a real problem.
Flickr/Boston Public Library Parkway traffic is nothing like this nearly century-old postcard. Traveling down the shore in the summer can mean hours on the road. And rush hour can be an absolute nightmare.
- We get so much hate.
Flickr/Steve Rotman We’ve been called the armpit of America, but we can take it. People are just jealous.
- We’re always associated with MTV’s Jersey Shore.
Flickr/Eva Rinaldi That show, while certainly a one-of-a-kind drama, does not accurately reflect life at the Jersey Shore. Pictured is one of the show’s stars, Rhode Island born (most of the cast members weren’t from New Jersey) DJ Pauly D.
- We’ve got some sort of demon spawn terrorizing the pinelands.
Flickr/NeilFein The Jersey Devil is a local icon. Though people once were in a panic over sightings of the beast (schools were even closed), we’re always glad to talk about him (it?) today.
- Our beaches are always swarming with out-of-staters.
Flickr/ChicaBrandita It’s hard to find a spot along the shore with all the New Yorkers in your way. I suppose it’s to be expected when you’ve got the best beaches around. This photo was snapped in Seaside.
- We’re used to having everything.
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli We’ve got it all…mountains, lakes, beaches, farms, cities, small towns, museums, history, skiing, entertainment… I could go on and on. Best of all, nothing is too far away.
- People assume you’re in the mob.
Flickr/Alvaro Tapia I heard jokes about it all the time when I spent the summer out in Cali. I suppose it’s better than hearing those “Joisey” jokes. Sure, some New Jerseyans are in the mob, but not all of us. Probably.
- No one ever taught us how to pump gas.
Flickr/Todd Lapin It’s actually illegal to pump gas in New Jersey, but we can usually figure it out when we travel beyond our borders.
- We’ve got our very own superhero, but he’s toxic.
Flickr/dBnetco Melvin Ford was just an average New Jersey janitor, until he fell into a vat of toxic waste. The Toxic Avenger is a cult classic that has generated three film sequels, a stage musical production and a children’s TV cartoon. I say it’s time for the Garden State to have another hero. Perhaps Writer Woman, a Jersey girl who saves the state from boredom by bringing them the best of the best, all in one place? Just a thought…
- Perhaps the hardest part of living in New Jersey is how much you’ll miss it when you leave.
Flickr/UConn Libraries Magic Even if you love where you live, New Jersey will always be home.
What do you think is the hardest part of being from New Jersey? Personally, I think it’s that nowhere else can compare. How could I possibly be happy living in a state without a giant elephant? Okay, I’m sure it’s possible…but I don’t want to imagine life without a diner on (practically) every corner.
Flickr/Jazz Guy
If you can afford it, it’s definitely worth it, but, it is one of the most frequent complaints that you hear about the Garden State. You can practically afford a palace in Pennsylvania for what you might pay for a modest home in some parts of New Jersey.
Flickr/seniwati
When you’re used to the best, you don’t settle for less. That makes eating tomatoes and corn out-of-state very difficult.
Wikimedia/Austin Murphy
And, you can’t find it anywhere else. This delicacy is slowly starting to spread, though.
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
I’m definitely guilty of this. The same is true of bagels - no other state holds a candle to New Jersey. I can’t pinpoint the differences, but I know bagels and pizza out-of-state just aren’t the same.
Flickr/Karen Green
We’ve got such an incredible dining scene, from fast food favorites like White Manna to upscale eateries like Restaurant Latour. We’ve also got an extensive selection of ethnic cuisines from Ethiopian (check out Mesob in Montclair) to Portuguese (Newark does it best). Not to mention, we can grab a great meal any time of day or night. Being the diner capital of the world, we’re used to having our favorite foods at our fingertips whenever we want. Traveling out-of-state often means settling for McDonalds at two a.m..
Flickr/Boston Public Library
Parkway traffic is nothing like this nearly century-old postcard. Traveling down the shore in the summer can mean hours on the road. And rush hour can be an absolute nightmare.
Flickr/Steve Rotman
We’ve been called the armpit of America, but we can take it. People are just jealous.
Flickr/Eva Rinaldi
That show, while certainly a one-of-a-kind drama, does not accurately reflect life at the Jersey Shore. Pictured is one of the show’s stars, Rhode Island born (most of the cast members weren’t from New Jersey) DJ Pauly D.
Flickr/NeilFein
The Jersey Devil is a local icon. Though people once were in a panic over sightings of the beast (schools were even closed), we’re always glad to talk about him (it?) today.
Flickr/ChicaBrandita
It’s hard to find a spot along the shore with all the New Yorkers in your way. I suppose it’s to be expected when you’ve got the best beaches around. This photo was snapped in Seaside.
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
We’ve got it all…mountains, lakes, beaches, farms, cities, small towns, museums, history, skiing, entertainment… I could go on and on. Best of all, nothing is too far away.
Flickr/Alvaro Tapia
I heard jokes about it all the time when I spent the summer out in Cali. I suppose it’s better than hearing those “Joisey” jokes. Sure, some New Jerseyans are in the mob, but not all of us. Probably.
Flickr/Todd Lapin
It’s actually illegal to pump gas in New Jersey, but we can usually figure it out when we travel beyond our borders.
Flickr/dBnetco
Melvin Ford was just an average New Jersey janitor, until he fell into a vat of toxic waste. The Toxic Avenger is a cult classic that has generated three film sequels, a stage musical production and a children’s TV cartoon. I say it’s time for the Garden State to have another hero. Perhaps Writer Woman, a Jersey girl who saves the state from boredom by bringing them the best of the best, all in one place? Just a thought…
Flickr/UConn Libraries Magic
Even if you love where you live, New Jersey will always be home.
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