If you're from Moco (i.e. the best county in Maryland - or anywhere for that matter), you are definitely hip to the fact that we are from an extremely close-knit hub made up of a wide range of diverse people. And if you're not from Moco (I feel bad for you), then well you've probably heard about us or have heard us talk about ourselves. We do that sometimes. So sorry Hoco, PG, and wherever else but, here are a few things that a lot of Moco kids can relate to:

1. You use hella slang.

Okay so, the DMV (that's DC Maryland Virginia for anyone who's not hip) as a whole has tons and tons of slang. Montgomery County is no stranger to all of that and then some. We've got our own little subgroup of slang that others from different, neighboring counties might respond to with this:

(Feel free to check out Urban Dictionary for reference.)

Whether you hear someone telling their friend that they're not coming over because it's "bricks away" or hearing someone telling their friend to "just chill moe". You will find endless use of slang all over the county and the rest of the DMV because that's just sort of how things go down around here.

Honorarable mentions: "finna", "can't fade", "that's wild", "geeked", "rip", "that's dead", "jahh like", and the list goes on...

IMPORTANT NOTE: It's "bricks" not "a bop", Hoco. Do not even try me. (Sorry not sorry).

2. You know the high schools are divided into either the Northeast Consortium, the "W" schools, or etc.

I mean come on, all the "W" schools (i.e. Whitman, Winston Churchill, Walter Johnson, and Wooton) were considered the boujee schools. Shoutout to the NEC though (not that we, ourselves, ever actually refer to the three schools specifically as the NEC).

3. Colesville Shopping Center was a second home growing up.

You or your family did most of your grocery shopping at the Giant there. Even though the place has had some changes over the years, Ledo's is OG and Pollo Mex is a poppin' newer addition. Also, the McDonald's across the street is pretty iconic too.

(NOTE: It's Colesville, not "South Stonegate".)

4. You were shook when you found out that Hoco kids refer to New Hampshire as the "Road to Heaven".

You knew we had religious institutions everywhere - albeit churches, temples, mosques, etc. - but, you didn't know they actually had a name for it.

5. You know what I'm talking about when I say "red elephant" or you're way ahead of me because you've already read or shared this article about it.

Iconic.

6. You thought the Mormon Temple was the Disney castle as a kid.

Guilty as charged.

7. One of your friends or someone you know has had even a hint of success in the music industry or is getting there.

Whether it's your friend with the poppin' SoundCloud or someone from your area on the come-up, you know someone who has dabbled in the music scene.

8. You get shook when you find out a bunch of immensely talented people have roots in your area.

Wale and Michael Ealy are just two stars specifically from Moco. Don't lie to me and say you don't scream-sing "LOOOOOOTUS FLOWER BOMB..." when that song comes on. And I mean I'm sure you can't get enough of this face:

9. You listen to or have been exposed to a wide range of music.

Our community is diverse in many, many ways. One aspect of this being music. From rap, go-go, hip hop, trap, and R&B to pop, bachata, EDM, and country. You have jammed out to a little bit of everything - one time or another.

10. Everyone is a model.

Some of your peers are actually super talented - their portfolios are kind of bomb and their photographers (also your peers) even more impressive. But, I feel like at one point everyone and anyone was doing a shoot or "looking for serious inquiries only" through Instagram. No judgement at all, just saying because I mean if you're feelin' yourself then hey, you got it.

11. Hanging out in Downtown Silver Spring made us feel so cool in middle school.

You would get dropped off by someone's parent, watch a movie, head to the arcade space upstairs, and end the night with food at Chipotle or Chick Fil-a. Now, it's just heavily populated by gross teeny-boppers who think they're immensely cool just like we did. *cringe* Dis-gus-ting.

12. In high school, it was all about Columbia Mall (the only reason to go to Hoco), Montgomery Mall, Olney, Tech Road, or Plaza del Mercado.

Those were the spots. Namely because they had food. Panera, Chick Fil-a, IHOP, Chipotle, Starbucks - you name it.

13. White Flint makes you nostalgic for your childhood.

R.I.P. (except for Lord and Taylor because they're still holding out somehow.)

14. Your nature excursions have evolved from trips to Brookside Gardens to making the mission to Great Falls and hitting the Billy Goat Trail.

Because people just can't get enough of those "scenic" pics.

15. Lacrosse and field hockey were a huge thing for a lot of people.

I never quite understood the hype but hey, I guess #laxislife #fockeyislife.

16. At some point while growing up, you were a shoe head.

If it wasn't you, it was one of your friends. Whether it was the 2012 Bred 11's or the galaxy foamposites, or even the NMDs today, you went through that phase (or are still in it now).

17. You were sick and tired of the leggings, sweatshirt, Uggs/Sperry's look in school.

I mean over it and, were probably pretty vocal about it too.

18. Freestyle Friday was a thing.

Freestyling in the hallways at lunch was most definitely a thing in high school. You could always find some of your friends forming a little circle and, hear them beatboxing, dropping bars, and getting extremely hype. Causal Friday activities.

19. You were always slightly tripped up about MCPS's decision-making on snow/inclement weather.

They almost always waited until 4am the day-of so, you could never really go to bed with a sure feeling of whether or not you were going to have a snow day. You also always wondered why we never had school cancelled on those rare days in the dead of winter when it was less than 10 degrees out. But then, we would get early announcements on school closings for random, potentially harmful hurricanes that ended up amounting to nothing. Strange, just strange. I guess the sporadic nature of Maryland weather played a part in that too.

20. You unknowingly claim D.C. as where you're from.

We do live like 25 minutes away. Plus, I mean, sometimes it's just easier than explaining to one of your new peers from New Jersey that you live right outside of DC but like, not in Baltimore or Annapolis. You catch my drift - it saves time.

21. You still do tourist-y things in DC even though you've been going there all your life.

Sometimes you go to the White House (albeit maybe not so much anymore) or the National Monument or even the Lincoln Memorial and ask someone to take your picture, even though you've been to all of these places at least ten times. Of course, you still scoff at all the actual tourists and complain when your favorite spots and the metro are overly crowded with them.

22. You understand just how diverse of a county we are.

It never crossed your mind when you were younger but, when you got exposed to other parts of the state and new environments in college, you were hit with immense culture shock and a newfound appreciation for the diverse community you grew up in. I'll never be more proud to be from a county that is ethnically, socioeconomically, and religiously diverse and accepting.

23. Your community and the people around you were cultured growing up.

Along with having a diverse community, D.C. was always an arm's length away. Being close to such a central hub flowing with culture, politics, music, art, and fashion, it was hard not to find yourself intertwined in one or two of these things in some way, shape, or form. Whether it was going to museums and galleries constantly, or being able to freely fight for what you believe in and protest in the capitol of the nation, being connected to culture was always just a few metro stops away.

I have definitely not hit every single thing that makes up what it means to be from an area as poppin' as Moco but, I hope you could relate to at least most of the items on this list with all the feels of home. Sure, maybe we all felt trapped in our little bubble of a county but, I will always appreciate the incredibly diverse environment I grew up in and the privilege I have from being exposed to an area with its own quirks and rich culture. Especially now, as a college student attending a university not too far away from home, I can say proudly that there aren't many places in the surrounding areas, in the state, in the nation that are as amazingly and refreshingly diverse as Montgomery County. I have nothing but a whole lot of love for my county and the values and communities it holds and has instilled in me over the years.