It's no surprise that New Jersey is a state that definitely draws attention to itself. If you are lucky enough to say that your roots are planted in Jersey then you know that no matter where in life you end up, you had the pleasure of growing up in one of the greatest states there is. However, the truly blessed are those that can not only can call Jersey home, but North Jersey specifically. You know that you are one of those people if...
1. "Pork Roll" makes you cringe
The first time I heard someone refer to Taylor Ham as Pork Roll a shiver went down my spine. You are a true northerner not only if you say "taylor ham, egg, and cheese" when ordering a famously hefty Jersey breakfast sandwich, but if the first time you heard it referred to “pork roll” you were extremely confused.
2. You drive like you're in a rush even if you happen to be early for once
Drive fast...like very fast. If you're going the speed limit then you're going too slow. The easiest way to tell if a Jersey car is from north or south is take a trip onto I-95 and see where the car is. If they're cruising the right lane then that's south all the way while a maniac in the left lane is repping the north.
3. Your sports loyalty most likely lies with New York
Besides the Devils, a person from North Jersey will most likely be sporting (pun intended) a Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, and even for some, a Rangers Jersey. While South Jersey people will be showing loyalty to Philly. Of course North Jersey also has the occasional Red Sox and Bruins fans but that just fuels the fun of the rivalries.
4. You don't get your slurpees from WaWa
If you ask someone from north Jersey what convenient store they run into while someone is graciously pumping their gas for them, you will hear either 7-Eleven or QuickCheck as the response. Not WaWa or whatever Sheetz is. No hate against those two places, it's just not home to us.
5. The "Concrete Jungle" is your City
When uttering the words, "I'm going into the city," North and South Jersey mean two different things. South Jersey refers to Philadelphia as their "city" while north Jersey can take a 40 minute train ride and end up in the heart of the Big Apple.
6. But, whether you show loyalty to the North or the South, all those from Jerz know that the Garden State is the place to be
Whether it's the beaches, the gas station attendants, the 4 seasons, the bagels, the pizza, the malls and everything else, one can never be unhappy in New Jersey.
At the end of the day, the great North Jersey vs. South Jersey debate will never be resolved, but when you find yourself getting too riled up in an argument with someone from the other half just breathe and tell yourselves, "Hey, at least we're not from Central Jersey."
