Even though my hometown in Maryland is only four hours away, Pennsylvania could not be more different. Although I'm happy to be at an out of state school, I still feel a strong connection to my home state.
Growing up in Maryland is a unique experience. The state itself is so diverse, from the rolling hills of the Shenandoah Valley to the historic state capitol of Annapolis to the beaches of the Eastern Shore.
Here are seven things everyone from the seventh state knows to be true:
1. Everyone assumes you're from Baltimore or D.C.
Maryland is such a geographically and culturally varied state, even though it's small in size. And although there's a population of nearly six million people, when you tell someone in another state you're from Maryland, they automatically assume you live in the two most notable cities in the vicinity of the state. I can't tell you how many times I've told someone my hometown, gotten a confused look, and resigned to just saying I live "about an hour from D.C.".
2. Crabs from Maryland are the best in the country.
The Maryland blue crab is probably the food item the Old Line State is known for, and the Chesapeake Bay area serves some of the best seafood in the country. Most Marylanders know how to pick and eat crabs, and they would agree that Maryland crabs are some of the best around.
3. Old Bay is a godsend and can go on anything.
And what goes on those Maryland blue crabs? Old Bay of course! This spice blend is a Maryland staple and can go on much more than crabs. Marylanders sprinkle Old Bay on most other seafood, fries, and even eggs. I myself love sprinkling some Old Bay on the iconic college food Ramen noodles. It adds a little bit of home to anything you eat.
4. Ledo Pizza is bomb af.
Although there are Ledo Pizza restaurants up and down the East Coast, the chain originated in College Park, Maryland over 60 years ago and is still going strong today. Ledo's is known for it's flaky thin crust and square shape, and there were at least three restaurants within a 30 minute drive from where I lived.
5. Using Maryland slang out-of-state and getting weird looks.
Because Maryland falls in the middle of being a Southern and a Northern state. Maryland slang is a completely different monster compared to the typical vernacular you're used to hearing in certain parts of the region. "Siced," "Bet," and "Terps" are all part of Marylanders' vocabulary. If you currently live out of state, you know the agony of explaining that "DMV" is the acronym for the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, not the Department of Motor Vehicles.
6. The Mormon Temple in Ellicott City was always Disney World or The Emerald City when you were a kid.
Anyone who's ever passed the Mormon Temple while driving through Howard County has thought it's looked like a castle. The likening of the temple to The Emerald City in "The Wizard of Oz" is also a popular opinion. At one point, the words "Surrender Dorothy" were spray painted on an overpass with the "Emerald City" in the background. Anyone who grew up in Maryland has seen the home of the Church of the Latter Day Saints and thought it was magical.
7. Driving in Maryland is a nightmare.
I know everyone says this about people in their state, but Maryland drivers are seriously the worst. According to BankRate, Marylanders have to deal with the second worst commute in the country, which makes sense given that so many people from Maryland work in D.C. Getting on the Beltway on any given weekday guarantees at least a 45 minute wait in traffic, along with countless drivers not knowing the rules of the road.
