Westchester, New York, is a county located just north of New York City (and no, we are not Upstate). We comprise all of those stops on Metro North after Harlem.
If you are from Westchester, grew up there, or maybe just spent a lot of time there, there are specific things, quirks, patterns and trends that you've probably come to associate yourself with, or at least the county as a whole.
To name a few...
1. There are quite a few private schools throughout Westchester, and you probably went to one.
2. Odds are you know people from many, many different areas of the county simply from going to your school. And I promise the names of these villages, towns and hamlets are not made up.
Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Peekskill, Bedford, Rye, Yorktown, New Castle, Scarsdale, Ossining, any of the six villages in Greenburgh along the Hudson, Eastchester, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mamaroneck, Mount Kisco, Mount Pleasant, North Castle, North Salem, Pelham, Pound Ridge, Somers.
3. On that note, you also know what a "hamlet" is.
A hamlet is what Westchester calls municipalities living within municipalities. So In the town of Westchester, you will find the hamlets of Chappaqua and Millwood.I know, not confusing at all.
4. Speaking of Chappaqua, if you're from Westchester County, you're more than likely to have your own "Clintons story."
Maybe at the Chappaqua Starbucks, or Bill going for a run with the dog, or Hillary at the library doing a talk, or maybe just a parade. It is, after all, where Bill and Hillary reside.
5. As a freshman in high school, you may have spent nights roaming random towns and cities such as Bronxville, or White Plains.
Not quite "the City" but it sufficed at the time.
6. When going to The Westchester, you planned on spending at least 100 dollars, usually more.
And somehow you always spent more than you even planned for.
7. You have pregamed on the Metro North at least once.
Good chance Santa Con was one of those times, too.
8. If you and your friends didn't want to stick in Westchester, NYC was a quick train ride away.
Especially if they wanted to dance. The places to go clubbing in Westchester are pretty limited.
9. Losing your friends when you went out in NYC was also a regular occurrence.
10. Your local deli knew your order by heart (if it wasn't a BEC we cannot be friends).
11. You know what great pizza is.
And you know multiple places to find it.
12. You know Croton Reservoir is the place to go to step up your photography game.
I mean, come ON.
13. If you lived along the Hudson, you got to drive down and see some amazing views of the skyline.
14. You know Westchester invented fall foliage.
15. It also takes apple picking and pumpkin patches to a whole new level.
16. Hiking too, for that matter.
17. You have probably been to Rocky's at least once.
Or more likely hundreds of times.
18. Sweet Sixteen's were the holy grail for sophomores in high school, and every girl had one.
19. Most people who transferred to Catholic school from public school always transferred back to public school.
20. You might have had your high school graduation here.
21. You've driven on the Saw Mill Parkway during inclement weather.
And somehow lived to tell stories about it.
22. Getting extremely annoyed and defensive when someone goes, "Oh, so you live upstate?" after you tell them you live just outside the city.
Map. Map. I need a map.
23. Because usually, as a follow-up to that last question, you have to explain 5 times that you live RIGHT OUTSIDE NYC.
See us? At the, wait for it, bottom, lower, down section of the map.
24. Having a special connection to Westchester, New York, if you do ever end up moving or going away to school.
There's a reason we call it "Bestchester." Yep, we're that clever, too.
